Kidney opts for inexperienced side against Saxons
Although the side is coached by Michael Bradley and Niall O’Donovan, the starting XV is chosen by Kidney, whose biggest task is to discover an understudy (outside of Paddy Wallace) to Ronan O’Gara.
However, Kidney has missed a golden opportunity for the A’s opening fixture of the season by opting for Jonathan Sexton ahead of Ian Humphreys at No 10.
Of the two, Humphreys has looked far and away the more composed and more assured out-half. And many felt Humphreys had done enough this season to not just nail down a starting spot on the A team, but a berth as back-up to O’Gara on the Ireland 22 after a string of fine performances for Matt Williams’ side.
It could be argued that Sexton has endured a tough couple of months at Leinster during which time he was pulled ashore at half time away to Castres before losing his place to Isa Nacewa in Leinster’s final two games of the Heineken Cup pool stages. Sexton, to be fair, hasn’t got a fair deal with his province but Humphreys should have got the nod here.
Another notable exclusion is Munster’s Donnacha Ryan who was part of Kidney’s plans during the autumn Tests. A versatile back-five operator, the Nenagh native has proved an important member of Tony McGahan’s match-day Munster squads in both the Magners League and Heineken Cup but has missed out on this occasion to Ryan Caldwell.
Connacht’s improved form this season that included shock wins over Leinster and Munster has been rewarded with four representatives from the western province in the starting XV including the excellent John Muldoon and hooker Seán Cronin.
The front row is completed by Cian Healy and Mike Ross whose stock as a tight head has risen since moving cross channel to Harlequins to become an important cog in Dean Richards’ revolution at the Stoop.
The replacements bench includes John Andress who has been making a name for himself at English National League Division One side, Exeter Chiefs where he plays alongside Gareth Steenson. Andress is a former Belfast Harlequins, Ulster Development and Ireland U21 player and according to Exeter’s head coach, Peter Drewett, Andress is the best tight head currently playing in the second tier of English club rugby: “John thoroughly deserves his selection and. He’s been playing superbly for the Chiefs over the last couple of seasons. His set piece work is excellent and he’s worked really hard at his fitness here as well and really justifies his selection for Ireland A.”
Alan Quinlan, Shane Horgan and Girvan Dempsey failed to make the senior squad and this side, but it hardly seemed practical to include a trio of players with 173 caps between them for a match where fringe players are more in need of the game-time.
Kidney explained: “Alan, for example, is training with us all the time and he could come straight into the senior squad without any difficulty. With the A squad, we try to get a mixture of not too many younger fellas but trying to bring a few new fellas through as well. There are guys like Girvan, Shane and Alan who weren’t included in the A game, but they’ve been there and done that. If we felt we needed to give them a game, there’s another A game then the following week. We’re trying to develop a squad and we feel the A team is an integral part of that.”
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