Trimble could be big loser on Irish team that picks itself
Replacement scrum-half Tomás O’Leary should have kept his name in the mix with a try but he remains, at best, third behind Conor Murray and Eoin Reddan. Simon Zebo underlined his potential with a late try which will stand to him in good stead and he is now a safe bet for a place in the squad to tour New Zealand next summer, a point emphasised by his inclusion in the squad for Sunday.
The three-quarter line is the one area where Kidney faces a selection dilemma but he certainly isn’t short of options. David Kearney ran a superb line for his try and capped an excellent defensive display with a superb sliding intervention that prevented England winger Ugo Monye going over.
Eoin O’Malley enjoyed a good schools career, has done well for Leinster and showed some fine touches in Exeter.
Second-row Dan Tuohy played well enough to justify the recent laudatory words of his Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin although he is well back in the queue behind Paul O’Connell, Donnacha Ryan and Donncha O’Callaghan.
McLaughlin has also been singing the praises of flanker Chris Henry but he did little to suggest he can upset the status quo of Sean O’Brien, Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip.
Kidney’s extended squad includes a number of the Wolfhounds side although not too many will make the matchday 23 to be announced later in the week.
The starting forward pack of Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross, Paul O’Connell, Donnacha Ryan, Ferris, O’Brien and Heaslip is already cast in stone. Rob Kearney will be full-back, Jonny Sexton and Conor Murray the likely half-back combination.
The remainder of the back line, however, is far from clear cut with Brian O’Driscoll’s absence leaving a yawning gap at 13. Kidney may go for Fergus McFadden or Keith Earls but there are other options as well.
You can only imagine the furore north of the border should Kidney not find a place for Andrew Trimble, who has been outstanding for Ulster and also distinguished himself during the World Cup. However, he is unlikely to displace Tommy Bowe and would have to be slotted in on the left wing. That would leave Earls or McFadden out in the cold.
My preference would be for Trimble and Earls on the wings with Bowe moving to second centre where he has played many times for the Ospreys.
Should Earls miss out, he is sure to be a replacement along with Ronan O’Gara, Eoin Reddan, Tom Court, Sean Cronin, Donncha O’Callaghan and either Peter O’Mahony or Chris Henry.
It promises to be a cracking start to the campaign with a positive result vital for the Irish given they only have a six-day turnaround before heading for the Stade de France. It helps that Wales are without Gethin Jenkins, Luke Charteris, Alun Wyn Jones and maybe Rhys Priestland and Jamie Roberts.
Revenge will also be an incentive after the disappointment of the World Cup quarter-final. The Aviva will be no place for faint hearts on Sunday.
