Rivals in battle for No 10 shirt

THE answer to the above question that has dominated Irish rugby for the past 10 weeks will be provided at 1.30 this afternoon when Declan Kidney announces his Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS Six Nations Championship at Croke Park on Saturday.

The country has been divided by the rivalry between the 93 times capped Ronan O’Gara and Jonathan Sexton, the man who claimed his two caps at the expense of the Munster pivot in the November internationals against Fiji and South Africa.

There is no doubt Sexton made his mark in both games, just as he had when playing a major part in Leinster’s magnificent Heineken Cup triumph last season. Not only that, O’Gara was going through something of a trough at the time with his place kicking – normally such a major part of his game – particularly off target.