CHARLIE MULQUEEN: Another huge call from coach whose job now hangs in the balance

Five days before he celebrates his 36th birthday, Ronan O’Gara last night received the kind of early ‘present’ he must have been dreading.

To the shock of the rugby world, one of Ireland’s greatest players has been omitted from an extended 32-man squad to prepare for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with France at the Aviva Stadium.

Instead, Declan Kidney, the man who has mentored O’Gara since his earliest days at Presentation Brothers Cork, has included three out-halves; Paddy Jackson, who made such a nervous international debut against Scotland last week; the uncapped Ian Madigan and Jonny Sexton, in the hope that the regular No 10 recovers from his hamstring injury in time.