Rugby:Ireland coach Declan Kidney will announce a squad for the upcoming game against the Barbarians at Kingsholm on Tuesday, May 29th next Monday. It will not contain any players from an Irish province that makes the RaboDirect Pro12 final. Leinster and Munster are in semi-final action this weekend.
The Pro12 final, certainly if Leinster make it, is likely to take place at the RDS on Sunday, May 27th (5.0). The Republic of Ireland take on Bosnia Herzegovina in a pre-Euro 2012 friendly at the Aviva stadium the previous day. The IRFU was hoping that the match could take place on the Friday night, given the national team a little more wriggle room, but the television broadcasters are likely to put the kibosh on that notion.
Kidney will confirm the squad to undertake a three match tour of New Zealand on Monday, May 21st, two days after the Heineken Cup Final which will be contested by Leinster and Ulster at Twickenham. Present at the press briefing that day will be forwards’ coach Gert Smal, happily restored to health, after missing the final two games in the Six Nations because of illness.
The popular South African admitted: “I’m looking forward to getting back to working with the players again and it was great to meet up with them last week at our squad get together for the first time since I had to take time off.
“It was a worrying time for my family when I was getting these symptoms affecting my eyesight, but it was clear that I was not going to be able to fully function and deliver the guidance the players needed. We needed to get to the bottom of what was going on and was advised to take some rest, so it is at times like these that you reluctantly have to listen to the advice.
“Anthony Foley did a superb job when he stepped in at such short notice as did Paul (O’Connell) and also Rory (Best) and Donnacha Ryan to give that little bit of leadership along with the other forwards. I’m feeling really good and fit at the moment and really excited about stepping back onto the training field, which is where you want to be as a coach, and looking forward to the tour to New Zealand.
“It is one of the toughest places on earth to tour, so we have to be well prepared, but the opportunity to play the world champions three times in a row does not come along very often and is something that I think everybody is excited about.” The union confirmed that Paul O’Connell still has not been ruled out of the tour and that his rehabilitation is being monitored closely.
