O’Sullivan: I know I’m going to break a few hearts

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN faces one of the hardest days in his six year reign as Ireland head coach tomorrow when he informs seven players that they’re not going to the World Cup.

And O’Sullivan said: “I know I’m going to break a few hearts”.

While 24 players travelled to Scotland yesterday including Marcus Horan as cover for Simon Best (back spasm) and Andrew Trimble in reserve for Tommy Bowe (Achilles), the remaining 13 have dispersed from base camp this weekend.

But many will be sitting by their mobile phones and hoping they don’t get a call from the boss tomorrow morning.

Yesterday O’Sullivan said he will only contact those who HAVEN’T survived the final squad cull from 37 to 30. And it’s a task he’s not relishing.

“I think it is the hardest day,” said a thoughtful O’Sullivan yesterday.

“I remember four years ago when naming the squad going to Australia. It was quite a difficult thing to do because Rugby World Cups come once every four years. They’re a watershed in a player’s career and everybody wants to participate in World Cup. So you’re making decisions that are going to have a profound effect on a guy’s rugby career and it’s not something you take lightly.

“I think this time round it’s even harder. It was difficult enough to pick the last World Cup squad but this time round, it’s even more difficult because I think we have a bigger squad of players to pick from. If you look at the squad of 37 now, any 37 of those guys can play for Ireland. Unfortunately you can only bring 30.

“That’s my job at the moment, it’s not a pleasant one in a sense you know you’re going to break a few hearts on Sunday morning. But it has to be done.”

O’Sullivan also said he’d rather meet the seven individuals face-to-face, but timelines restrict such a process and a phone call will be necessary.

“It was similar the last time — the best you can do is ring a guy. I’ve never texted a fellow or e-mailed a guy — that’s completely the wrong thing to do in the circumstances. I’ve always tried to face a guy up and tell him ‘look, this is what’s happening’.

“I’ve told the boys the best I can do this weekend is I’ll call them Sunday morning. I suppose none of them are hoping to get a phone call Sunday morning but that’s how it works. It’ll be an unpleasant process to be gone through but it’s something that has to be gone through.”