Now for the serious stuff...

NOW we can turn to the real business of the November internationals. Saturday’s training run against Canada at stormy Thomond Park showed up some minor shortcomings but otherwise it was a futile exercise for new Ireland coach Declan Kidney.

The Canadians were willing but they were far from able. They never looked like scoring from any facet of play and while they were hard done by unsympathetic referee Christophe Berdos, it was one of those occasions when you wondered how this kind of affair could benefit the game of rugby.

With the All Blacks filling the horizon, Kidney must figure out how anything meaningful could be derived from a non-contest in which the opposition would have been hard pressed to cope with a mid-table team in the AIL. But as defence coach Les Kiss stressed: “You can only deal with what’s in front of you,” and on that basis, the likes of Stephen Ferris, Keith Earls, Robert Kearney, Tommy Bowe and Shane Horgan put down very significant markers.

The television pundits voted Ferris man of the match and he certainly got through a lot of hard, honest and intelligent work, as did Shane Jennings at number seven. But it still may not be enough to earn either a starting place against the All Blacks. The talent at Kidney’s disposal in the back-row is considerable and if Richie McCaw and his fellow scavengers are to be taken on and matched, then only the sharpest trio will be equal to the task.

Alan Quinlan and David Wallace both looked sharp and helped themselves to a try apiece when introduced as second-half replacements. Jamie Heaslip has established himself at number eight so only one thing about this area of the side is guaranteed — that somebody is going to be very disappointed when the team is announced at 1.30pm tomorrow.

This is all the more so because a recognised second row will have to be accommodated on the bench, and whether that is Ryan Caldwell, Malcolm O’Kelly or Mick O’Driscoll remains to be seen. As things now stand, Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan tower over all others.

Kidney makes no secret of his satisfaction that there is now more competition than ever for places. The back-row, as we have seen, is an obvious area and even the consistent Jerry Flannery still has viable opposition for the number two shirt from Rory Best.

That could also be the situation at scrum-half. Eoin Reddan did little wrong on Saturday except take a very apparent step before getting most of his passes away.

A crucial split second is being lost here and it is probably to Reddan’s advantage that Peter Stringer’s usually immaculate delivery wasn’t quite at its sharpest when he entered the fray in the second half. Tomas O’Leary didn’t get any game time but you suspect he is nudging closer to that first cap.

However Paddy Wallace didn’t look the answer in the ongoing search for a replacement should, woe betide us, anything happen to Ronan O’Gara. Finding a suitable understudy at number 10 remains one of Kidney’s greatest tasks while ironically the back five present a quandary only in terms to who to choose and who to leave out.

At first glance, you would have to rate Bowe and Kearney as certain to retain their places on the wing. But that would be to overlook the massive impact made by Shane Horgan in the second half. And if most regard Luke Fitzgerald and Brian O’Driscoll as the perfect midfield axis, the truth is that the former didn’t have the greatest of games on Saturday.

And with Earls once again impressing at number 15 but undeniably under pressure from the vastly more experienced Girvan Dempsey and Geordan Murphy, he could well come into contention for the outside centre position with O’Driscoll switching to 12, a berth many believe now best suited to his talents.

Whatever the decision at full-back, Earls will never forget that moment two minutes and 40 seconds into Saturday’s game when he scored a superbly taken try with his first touch of a ball in international rugby. He just seems to have the knack for whatever stage he encounters and it will be fascinating to see if Kidney is prepared to gamble and retain the youngster against the All Blacks.

Further tries followed at regular intervals from Robert Kearney (2, one thanks to a very, very generous TMO, Italian Guilio Di Santis), Tommy Bowe (2), Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace and Alan Quinlan. Ronan O’Gara kicked five conversions and a penalty and Paddy Wallace landed one conversion.

And the Canadians? They were out of their depth and not helped by an insensitive display of refereeing by Berdos. Coach Crowley put it succinctly when asked to comment on the ref: “Canada is not a wealthy union and so cannot afford to pay a fine.”

IRELAND: K. Earls; T. Bowe, B. O’Driscoll capt, L. Fitzgerald, R. Kearney; R. O’Gara, E. Reddan; M. Horan, J. Flannery, T. Buckley, D. O’Callaghan, P. O’Connell, S. Ferris, J. Heaslip, S. Jennings.

Replacements: J. Hayes and R. Best for Buckley and Flannery, (h/t); S. Horgan, P. Wallace, P. Stringer, J. Hayes, A. Quinlan and D. Wallace for O’Driscoll, O’Gara, Reddan, Buckley, O’Connell and Heaslip (55), Buckley for Horan (67).

CANADA: J. Pritchard; C. Hearn, B. Keys, R. Smith, J. Mensah-Coker; A. Monro, E. Fairhurst. K. Tkachuk, P. Riordan, J. Thiel, M. Burak, J. Jackson, S.M. Stephens, A. Carpenter, A. Kleeberger.

Replacements: J. Sinclair for S.M. Stephens (47); T. Hotson for Burak (62); M. Evans for Monro (62); F. Walsh for Tkatchuk (67); M. Pletch for Riordan (69).

Referee: C. Berdos (France).