Kidney comes face to face with Gaffney
And Kidney obviously had an influence in Gaffney’s appointment as his successor on the southern throne.
But today, at Donnybrook (5.15pm), the two will look each other in the eye, but then keep their distance for a game that promises to be one of the highlights of the early stages of the Celtic League campaign.
Kidney made it clear to the Leinster players he is there to do a job:
“There is no conflict as far as I am concerned. My job is to coach Leinster and it is a choice I made. So far it’s great. I enjoy working with guys I know and have known over the last number of years. There is no difference in terms of work ethic; these players work hard and want to succeed and I’m happy to be associated with people like that.
“Sure, they know I’m from Munster but I hope they recognise that I want the best for them in terms of results no matter whom we meet in the Celtic League or Heineken Cup. Our goals are simply to be as good as we possibly can in both competitions.”
Like Munster, Kidney’s side have had to field without a raft of experienced players in the couple of games to date.
Kidney views it as just a small inconvenience. “The national squad situation is hugely important. We, and Munster, have been unable to field what would be conceived as the best teams available but the Celtic League does offer an opportunity for other players to come through at a time when they might not if the Heineken Cup was the only vehicle available for experimentation.
“We have got a win and a draw from our two games and I suppose it’s a settling-in period as such. Munster have lost one and drawn one but that shouldn’t have any bearing on what might happen in Donnybrook.
“In fairness to Munster, Neath/Swansea, the team that beat them, appear to have a much stronger base this season than last. And nobody should discount Connacht anyway.
“It’s all to play for and I’m looking forward to a really great game between the two teams in Donnybrook. There have been some great games in the recent past and I don’t think it will be any different this time around.”
The respective coaches probably feel there is a lot at stake. And there is, because both teams, no matter what excuses will be trotted out, are below full strength.
Munster have Frankie Sheahan, John Hayes and David Wallace back in the team and Leinster have been boosted by the availability of Denis Hickie, Eric Miller, and Guy Easterby.
But while Gaffney hardly hesitated to throw his three international guys straight back into the ring, Kidney has held back and made no changes from the team that defeated Ulster last weekend.
Up front, it would appear that Kidney has more reserve power than Munster with the exception, perhaps, of Rob Henderson and Mike Prendergast.
But Gaffney is confident that the players on starting duty can produce the goods: “There have been positives and negatives in all our games to date, but the positives outweigh the negatives.” he added.
: J. Norton, J. McWeeney, C. Warner, D. Quinlan, G. Brown, D. McAllister, B. O’Meara, E. Byrne, G. Hickie, P. Coyle, L. Cullen, B. Gissing. A. McCullen, S. Jennings, D. Dillon.
: C. Cullen, J. Kelly, S. Payne, J. Holland, a. Horgan, P. Burke, E. Reddan, G. McIlwham, F. Sheahan, J. Hayes, T. Bowman, T. Hogan, D. Leamy, J. Williams, D. Wallace.
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