Ireland on a hiding to nothing

DEEP DOWN, Ireland’s new coach Declan Kidney knows that nothing less than a decisive Irish victory over Canada in the first of the three Guinness November internationals at Thomond Park this evening will herald the end of the honeymoon era of his leadership, almost before it has begun.

Typically, and no doubt wisely, Kidney wasn’t for getting ahead of himself at his final press conference yesterday. But the Canadians, ranked 16th in the world and attempting to rebuild for the umpteenth time under their new coach, the former All Black full-back Kieran Crowley, should be there for the taking, all the more so because Ireland are putting out a side not very far removed from the best available at this moment in time.

The series of matches involving the top sides from both hemispheres over the next three or four weeks will have a vital bearing on the seedings for Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011, and that’s one good and valid reason why Kidney isn’t taking any chances with this evening’s team.