RUGBY: GERRY THORNLEYon Declan Kidney's different approach to the World Cup and the make up of the squad
FOR THE third World Cup running, Ireland’s warm-up games include a trek to Murrayfield, with neither of the previous two visits to the Scottish capital conjuring particularly pleasant memories. Furthermore, mere mention of next week’s visit to Bordeaux, the city where the Irish team were based for the first half of the ill-fated 2007 World Cup campaign, probably still sends a collective shiver down the spines of those who will be returning there.
The memory of Geordan Murphy’s broken leg in the Murrayfield warm-up game the day before the 2003 World Cup squad was finalised – and when he was in vintage form and could have taken the tournament by storm – perhaps lingered on four years later, when the squad were, by comparison, wrapped in cotton wool.
The 15 Untouchables were excused duty from the two-Test Argentinian tour in June, creating a two-tier squad which both Tests (the first a defeat in Murrayfield, the second a narrow late win over Italy in Ravenhill) and the belatedly added Battle of Bayonne the following August did little to alleviate. Indeed, it merely left the front-liners short of match practice, which in turn appears to have been compounded by over-training.
In hindsight, that tour to Argentina looks even more pointless now than it did then, with those who did seemingly force their way in largely overlooked in France while the likes of Tommy Bowe, Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald (all Lions Test starters less than two years later) were overlooked.
This time round the summer tour was sacrificed and all have started their campaigns more or less simultaneously, with the number of Tests doubled from two to four and supplemented with a game against Connacht (hardly set to constitute a Battle of Donnybrook).
These games will be about achieving the balance between match fitness and a fully fit squad, while also nailing down the final few slots in the 30-man squad to be named on August 22nd, two days after the return meeting with France in the Aviva Stadium.
The need for sharper match practice throughout the squad is augmented by the need to have longer-term casualties prove their fitness and get up to speed. Hence, the management’s warning that the provinces will be asked to facilitate some players in their pre-season games should be taken at face value, with those in need of games (ie Jerry Flannery, Tomás O’Leary, Kearney, etc) being accommodated as opposed to taking a step down.
More pressing even than those players is the well-being of Gordon D’Arcy and Stephen Ferris. The management will be keen for both to make it to New Zealand, though both may yet seemingly struggle to play in any of the warm-up games.
That would be a greater concern in the case of Ferris, whose need to prove his fitness is more acute as his knee problems have been recurring. He last played for Ireland in the November Guinness Series and last played for Ulster in January. Furthermore, it’s not as if the backrow resources are scarce.
For his part, D’Arcy played up until the end of last season and has started 17 of Ireland’s last 19 internationals, forming a world record midfield partnership alongside Brian O’Driscoll over the last six years. There is no ready made alternative.
So vivid is the memory of ’07, that Ireland are taking on more games than any of their Six Nations rivals, though invariably this will carry a greater risk of injury.
A 17/13 or 16/14 split?
The decision to opt for a 17/13 or 16/14 split between forwards and backs for the World Cup squad will have ramifications for, most probably, either the backrow or outside backs, and here it would seem Declan Kidney and co have an open mind.
“When it comes to the make-up of the squad, do I have an idea in my mind? I would obviously. That’s the nature of the job. There are combinations of 17/13 I know I can bring, and of 16/14 I can bring, and that all goes to the pertinent decisions regarding how many frontrows you bring, secondrows and backrows.”
In ’07, Eddie O’Sullivan opted for the latter, and in ’03 for the former, even though Ireland only took four props to Australia eight years ago.
Because the World Cup will not emulate the recent practice of many tournaments in having two props on the bench in 23-man match-day squad, this reduces the need to take five props, as therefore two out of the five would be idle for every game.
That said, Kidney and co could still opt for the 17-13 split and accommodate four locks and six backrowers, as O’Sullivan did eight years ago, on the grounds that the attritional rate is generally higher up front and it is a long journey for late replacements to undertake.
Props (4 or 5)
Cian Healy and Mike Ross are sure to travel and Tom Court, on the still slightly unproven theory that he can pack down on both sides, will most probably do so as well as the best-suited to match-day bench duty (as was the case in all five Six Nations game).
That leaves Tony Buckley – in whom the Irish management appear to have more faith than their Munster counterparts did – perhaps ahead of John Hayes and Marcus Horan in the pecking order, despite their strong end to last season. Brett Wilkinson is the outsider.
Hookers (3)
Rory Best is another definite, and Seán Cronin should go too, with the doubts concerning the unfortunate Jerry Flannery purely concerning his calves. If the specialist treatment isn’t proven to have worked, Damien Varley goes but if fit, Flannery goes and if back to his best, as first-choice.
Locks (4)
Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell and Leo Cullen are NZ bound, which could conceivably leave Mick O’Driscoll fighting with the three quasi locks cum backrowers, Donnacha Ryan, Kevin McLaughlin and Mike McCarthy, for the last slot. McLaughlin had the best form of that trio last season, but Ryan’s versatility is more proven and he’s also been ranked the highest in the international set-up when fit throughout Kidney’s tenure, while McCarthy is the dark horse.
Backrows (5 or 6)
Invariably the most competitive area, though with James Coughlan not in the provisional 46-man squad, perhaps slightly less so this time. Heaslip (who missed out four years ago), David Wallace (who missed out eight years ago) and Seán O’Brien must be cast in stone, and were he to prove his fitness, Ferris would be as well. Either way Denis Leamy should also go too. Having broken his arm in the Magners League, Shane Jennings had his cast removed last week and needs game time to showcase his experience, defensive leadership and breakdown and continuity work.
Scrumhalves (3)
Three from five is the equation here. Tomás O’Leary is likely to travel as first-choice with Rocky Elsom, David Pocock, Will Genia and co in mind provided he proves his well-being over the next few weeks, and Eoin Reddan should also travel.
Most probably the contrasting strengths of Peter Stringer (much greater big-game experience and ability to up the tempo) and Isaac Boss (physicality, strong defence, Kiwi familiarity) are vying for the last slot, with the uncapped Conor Murray the outsider, despite finishing last season as Munster first-choice. This could be fluid though, and next week’s selection, will tell us much.
Outhalves (2)
Jonathan Sexton and Ronan O’Gara. End of story.
Midfield (3 or 4)
You-know-who and D’Arcy (if near fit) will be amongst the first on the plane, as may Paddy Wallace, for all his detractors, as he also provides cover at outhalf as well as goalkicking. Fergus McFadden goalkicks every bit as impressively, can cover centre and wing, and oozed confidence for most of last season. But it’s a competitive area, further muddied by the versatility of some of the outside backs, at least three of whom can cover 13.
Outside backs (5 or 6)
Tommy Bowe and Keith Earls will board the plane, as should Andrew Trimble (whose form has been consistently good when fit or picked – recall the win over England last time out). So, most probably, will Rob Kearney if fit and anywhere near form. Whatever about the Leinster jersey, and Isa Nacewa’s form there, no one has really laid claim to the Irish fullback slot in the absence of the Lions Test starter.
That could conceivably leave only one, or perhaps two and at a push three positions between Fitzgerald, McFadden, Geordan Murphy, Felix Jones and Gavin Duffy.
