Coach set to face some criticism

DECLAN KIDNEY will take flak in some quarters after naming his strongest possible squad for the tour of Australia and New Zealand.

His critics maintain that some of those with many hours on the clock and who have been playing almost non-stop for the past 12 months like John Hayes and Brian O’Driscoll and perhaps even David Wallace and Donncha O’Callaghan may have benefited from a summer of rest and relaxation and an opportunity to recharge the batteries ahead the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in late 2011.

There was also the issue of key players carrying long-term injuries. Paul O’Connell is an obvious example and even at this stage there seems no certainty the great second-row will be on the plane on June 5.