Kidney to reveal all as Ireland eye Wales again
An invigorating Heineken Cup pool campaign with success so far from Leinster, Munster and Ulster on the back of some often scintillating individual performances has given Kidney plenty to ponder this week as he plots revenge for Ireland’s quarter-final exit last October when Wales visit the Aviva Stadium in the first game of the campaign on Sunday, February 5.
Some cards have already been dealt to the Ireland boss with his captain Brian O’Driscoll at the head of an injury list that also includes Munster quartet Jerry Flannery, Denis Leamy, Felix Jones and David Wallace.
Still, there are no shortage of contenders lining up to fill the breach, with O’Driscoll’s absence set to prompt some positional rejigging in order to replace the skipper at outside centre, with Keith Earls of Munster, Leinster’s Fergus McFadden and Tommy Bowe in the frame.
Eoin O’Malley has made strides in Leinster’s 13 jersey since O’Driscoll’s season-ending shoulder surgery, while Connacht’s Eoin Griffin has also impressed but the likely beneficiary in terms of a call-up, is Leinster’s Luke Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald missed Sunday’s Heineken Cup win at Glasgow with a neck injury but has done more than enough to justify a recall to Irish colours following his omission from Kidney’s 30-man World Cup squad.
Fitzgerald’s performances on the wing in the back-to-back games against Bath in rounds three and four were outstanding and after spending much of last season struggling for form, not helped by a failed attempt to sell himself as suitable cover at full-back, there is some pep back at last in the 2009 Lion’s engine.
With Geordan Murphy’s international future uncertain and Felix Jones still injured after being ruled out of the World Cup during the August friendly internationals, there is still a need for cover at full-back for Rob Kearney, thankfully back in full flight this season after spending the last campaign on the sidelines. Gavin Duffy could be set for a recall after a sterling contribution during Connacht’s difficult European campaign this season while Denis Hurley has grown in stature with every game during his return to the position as Jones’s replacement at Munster.
Paul Marshall’s bid for international honours has been stifled by Ruan Pienaar’s impressive turns at scrum-half for Ulster but Marshall showed with his quick instincts and even quicker pace in scoring a try against Leicester on Friday night that he can bring something fresh to the international mix at number nine alongside Conor Murray, Eoin Reddan and Isaac Boss.
In the pack, the immediate need is for cover in the back row. David Wallace’s continued absence following his knee injury against England before the World Cup has left the triumvirate of Stephen Ferris, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip pretty untouchable as starters but aside from regular standbys Shane Jennings and Kevin McLaughlin, those putting their hands up for consideration include Ulster’s Chris Henry, former Ulster man Roger Wilson, now of Northampton, Connacht’s John Muldoon and Munster duo James Coughlan and Peter O’Mahony.
O’Mahony would be the bolter, having taken to the Heineken Cup with such aplomb in his first season as a professional, and bringing plenty of aggression to the breakdown and as a lineout option.
Donnacha Ryan continues to offer an option in the back row but his standout performances alongside newly-appointed Six Nations captain Paul O’Connell during Munster’s successful Heineken Cup pool campaign may have advanced his starting claims in the Ireland second row.
Devin Toner could be set to renew his international involvement after falling down the pecking order last season while Dan Tuohy has advanced his claims for a squad place during Ulster’s European campaign.
And with Kidney set to name a Wolfhounds squad for the upcoming A international against England Saxons at 12.30pm tomorrow, it would be a major surprise if Tuohy’s rise to prominence was not recognised.
