I've one question; what happens if James Ryan gets injured?
Tomorrow’s match is game one of six including the quarter-final. With key players back, tomorrow’s clash against an extremely strong Wales is huge.
I wonder can we negotiate these five games to be in perfect physical and mental shape by the time we face either South Africa or New Zealand. Clearly, injury, selection permutations and the fielding of an Irish ‘B’ team for game four versus Russia will have to be factored into the equation.
Russia, a team who’ve not beaten a tier one nation, is an amazing rugby story. There’s a seven-hour flight involving two connections and four time zones for players between club games.
Much of their season is snowed out and yes, they are professional with Welsh coaches and Ireland’s Mark McDermott, but they are many years behind Ireland in terms of development and expectations.
I do have huge sympathy for Toner losing out but far more for the future development Munster player you'll subsequently never hear of
Suffice to say, Ireland will beat them whilst resting key players. It will be noted that six games is a quarter of a season for Irish players and injuries do occur. Will Ryan be one of them?
Skipping over Russia there’s a two-week break between the Japanese game and the Samoan game. This is hugely important in keeping Ireland’s ‘Test’ team fit and why I’m very surprised with Devin Toner’s omission bearing in mind that one awful possibility: a Ryan injury.
The remaining RWC secondrows don’t have Ryan’s ability and neither are they natural lineout leaders. But, before we get to that, let’s examine a few permutations that possibly fed into squad selection.
Ryan and Iain Henderson are the best starting secondrows; thus leaving a two from three selection. I don't know why but I couldn't help feel that Tadhg Beirne was the most vulnerable to being dropped paving the way for Jean Kleyn and Toner to travel.
I've yet to be convinced that Joe Schmidt is convinced on Beirne. Beirne I fear (thankfully) is not a functionary paint by numbers player. He is a phenomenal footballing secondrow coveting the ball. But big 50:50 selections have always erred on side of the cautious, functionary player with the more flamboyant being rejected. Hence Beirne was vulnerable.
But, in the interim, a player I have long valued became qualified. Let’s not confuse my valuing and respecting a player with valuing the system that brought him here; I don’t.
And I do have huge sympathy for Toner losing out but far more for the future development Munster player you’ll subsequently never hear of (more on that anon).
Relationship time
That said, Kleyn is a bloody good functionary and look what happened to the Irish scrum when he went off for blood injury against a poor Italian scrum. Henderson slipped across and it was demolished and only repaired when Kleyn returned.
So, back to my opening question, what happens if Ryan gets injured? Kleyn is the next best scrummaging option at the tighthead said. This column has waxed lyrical for several seasons on this matter. The relationship between numbers 3 and 5 is monumentally important but especially when the South African ‘Beast’ Tendai Mtawarira packs down with serious power behind him.
The quarter final will be decided by a penalty; the scrum will provide same. A possible reason for Andrew Porter exploring his more ‘natural’ scrummaging position of loosehead these past few weeks.
I watched lots of matches last season and have consistently noted the value of Kleyn to Munster's progression
The reason Kleyn is selected tomorrow is not to justify his squad selection but to give him more relationship time with his tighthead prop. Kleyn has real power and physique which will be valuable down the track but he lacks a scrummaging relationship so tomorrow is huge for him and Tadhg Furlong.
Can they work together, can Kleyn understand Furlong’s needs as the Welsh pack attack? Does Kleyn know when to put on or ease power, raise or lower height, what angle to scrummage etc – all without the ability to communicate live with Furlong. This takes years; they only have weeks.
For many, the scrum is a hindrance to our game. To me, it is our game, especially in respect of the RWC quarter-final. With that in mind, if Ryan gets injured Kleyn must be available for selection. Hence the three secondrows selected are Ryan, Henderson and Kleyn leaving Toner and Beirne for the last slot. No matter who is dropped the country would explode. Who would you drop? Be honest.
To answer that let’s go back to that question; what happens to the lineout if Ryan gets injured? The obvious solution is Toner starts. But, over recent times Toner has not been starting; injuries etc. But still he’s a world class lineout operator and those loyal to this column will note his lineout management role.
But, that too has changed. Ryan is the manager but in his absence Peter O’Mahony and Henderson have been managing, not as well as Toner, but managing. I know Henderson is incoming Ulster captain but facing either quarter-final opponent Toner’s leadership would be priceless. But clearly the management feel this one key differential is closing and that Beirne has lineout value. So finally; open play.
I watched lots of matches last season and have consistently noted the value of Kleyn to Munster’s progression. They are a different team with him in it. He is pure dog in all the places you wouldn’t put your family pet.
Places like a lineout defensive maul, around the fringes, carrying the dirtiest of dirty ball in heavy traffic, that awkward fringe defence, that square-on monster hit further out at the edge of the first back defender and the ‘neutralising’ of an over-eager opponent.
This stuff is what he is; nothing more, nothing less but boy has it value. For countless reasons I’d love if Toner travelled and I do hope Ryan stays injury free. But if he doesn’t, Ireland need Kleyn; whether you like it or not.
