Ireland's tour of Argentina:Opportunity knocks for a variety of players amid the cold climes and madding crowds of Buenos Aires this week, and not before time in some instances. Eoin Reddan (26), a recently crowned European Heineken Cup winner whose career has taken off in the last two seasons with Wasps, should finally be given his first Test start when a much-changed team is revealed today.
If Paddy Wallace is ruled out, and Jeremy Staunton starts, it would renew a Wasps' half-back partnership which dates back to their Munster days. Reddan recalls that his debut for Munster was alongside Staunton, as was his debut for Wasps, when both made their first starts.
One of the ironies of the European Cup final was the Reddan-Frank Murphy match-up. Both had gone across sea, having been well down the Munster pecking order, though if they'd been second choice to Peter Stringer they might have been tempted to stay. But both have been better off heading to England. The move to Wasps two years ago was a "no brainer", according to Reddan.
"I had nothing to lose."
Like Jerry Flannery, Reddan also had a helpful two-year stint at Connacht.
"That was great, but Munster was good as well. I think the mental side of the game is a huge part which no one focuses on. My time in Munster made me very aware of that. When I went to Wasps, I dealt with competition and I dealt with being dropped at a much higher scale than I did at Munster. At Munster, when I wasn't being played I probably didn't approach it in the right way, and I could see that as soon as I got to Wasps. I didn't make the same mistake again."
It was Reddan's speed to the breakdown and quicker pass that gradually earned him his place last season ahead of Matt Dawson.
"The more you play, the more you bring your own style to the game and players play off you, and it becomes almost easier the more you play, because people know what you're doing every week. As a nine, that's very important, I think, that people can read you, so the job becomes easier the more you play with the same players."
Reddan's sum total of time on the pitch for Ireland, despite being on the bench in all five games of last season's Six Nations and three this year, is one minute on the wing in Paris last season. He missed out on last summer's tour because of a groin operation.
Impressively mature and level-headed, Reddan plays down any notion of frustration, leaving that to his fan club at Wasps.
"No, I wouldn't say it was frustrating. I'm only worrying about what I can worry about, and I've always played it like that. In fairness, I haven't really felt aggrieved at any time," says Reddan.
While Reddan's first start appears well sign-posted, this is probably the most difficult selection in O'Sullivan's 66-match reign to anticipate. If Simon Best starts at his favoured tighthead, then Bryan Young will also be maintained. Alternatively, Best could be moved to loosehead to give one of the other tightheads a run, particularly as Tony Buckley has impressed the management on this tour.
All the indications are that it will be a new back five in the pack, with Leo Cullen and Mick O'Driscoll competing with Trevor Hogan for the slot as fourth lock in the World Cup party.
Alan Quinlan is coming from behind in what seems a straight fight-off with the younger Neil Best for one of the backrow slots. However, if O'Sullivan goes with only five backrowers in a 16-14 split for France, then Stephen Ferris would have a big opportunity to underline his versatility if named at number eight today, while O'Driscoll's notional ability to cover six and eight would make him favourite ahead of Cullen and Hogan.
Given O'Sullivan's only concern about Brian Carney's ability to make the transition to union is the timeframe, it could be he will have another look at him next Saturday, which would possibly mean Luke Fitzgerald being confined to the bench.
If Geordan Murphy is picked to start, it would suggest he still has something to prove, whereas if he's on the bench (also covering outhalf) it would indicate he is France-bound, which should without question be the case. O'Sullivan would learn more, perhaps, from giving another outing to Gavin Duffy who, along with Carney and Andrew Trimble, look the leading contenders.
An admirer of Duffy's versatility, O'Sullivan might even look at him on the wing or midfield. Alternatively, he could try Trimble as an inside centre, presuming he recovers from his ankle strain, with Barry Murphy set to start at outside centre. The latter, along with Robert Kearney, are not out of the frame but would need big games.
Hence, the team to play the Pumas in the second Test might read: Duffy or G Murphy; Kearney, B Murphy, Lewis, Carney; Staunton, Reddan; Simon Best, Sheahan, Buckley, Cullen, O'Driscoll, Quinlan, Jennings, Ferris.
