Strength in depth will be put to the test

IF rugby matches were played on paper, few would give the Irish team much of a chance against the Barbarians in tonight’s game at Thomond Park.

Whereas Declan Kidney has chosen what can only be described as a scratch Irish XV, the Baa-Baas 22 is laden down with some of the brightest talents in the game.

Players like Cedric Haymans, Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde, Pierre Mignoni, Byron Kelleher, George Smith, Xavier Rush, Rodney So’oialo, Martyn Williams and Jerome Thion, to name but a few, have been enthralling and exciting rugby crowds the world over for many years.

And as they proved against England in the second half at Twickenham on Sunday, these players like nothing more than a Barbarians scenario in which to flaunt their talents.

And then there’s the presence in the Baa-Baas side of three Irish players who have earned for themselves a special place in the annals of the game in this country.

Paul Warwick, who lines out at full-back, is, of course, an Australian but his performances for Munster and Connacht have earned him a special place in the hearts of Irish followers.

He’s a great favourite at Thomond Park but even Warwick’s popularity there is overshadowed by that enjoyed by Alan Quinlan. The Tipperary man has come as close to earning legendary status in the Munster game as it is possible to do.

His long-time team-mate and close friend Ronan O’Gara wasn’t joking when admitting that: “we’ll have to watch out for Quinny, he’s still very ambitious and is disappointed that he’s not going on tour with us. He’ll have a point to prove.”

O’Gara is also only too well aware that Thomond Park has taken Quinlan very much to its heart and that he will be picked out for special acclaim whenever he’s on the ball.

Being a Leinster man, Malcolm O’Kelly can hardly expect a similar reception but his 92 appearances for Ireland and yet another outstanding performance in his final game for Leinster last week, also entitles him to a very generous and sporting welcome.

Moreover, O’Kelly will relish the opportunity of showing the Irish duo Dan Tuohy and Ed O’Donoghue a thing or two when it comes to line-out play.

Depending on how assiduously the Baa-Baas have prepared for the game, they will assuredly provide Ireland with a serious challenge.

Coach Philippe Saint Andre admitted: “it is hard to get teams like this together, but the spirit of 100 years of Barbarian rugby was there for all to see in the second half against England. This time our aim is to switch on for 80 minutes.”

Of the starting XV, the only members of the Irish team certain to figure against the All Blacks are Rob Kearney and Ronan O’Gara although Jerry Flannery, David Wallace, Tomás O’Leary and Jonathan Sexton are likely to come off the bench at some stage of the proceedings.

The game does offer several others an opportunity to stake a claim for some recognition at New Plymouth, most notably Andrew Trimble on the left wing; the entire front-row of Marcus Horan, Sean Cronin and Tony Buckley and any one of John Muldoon, Chris Henry and Niall Ronan in the back-row.

This is the first time that the Barbarians have played Ireland in this country since 2000.

The most recent meeting of the sides was in Gloucester in 2008 when Ireland won 39-14. It wouldn’t come as a major surprise should the Baa-Baas avenge that result this time round.

As Declan Kidney admits, he has been obliged to “do a lot of mixing and matching” with a number of untried and unproven players. If nothing else, the game may well show how far down the road the coach has gone in his ambition to build a really strong squad of players.

As a spectacle, the 20,000-plus looking on will expect see some Barbarian-style rugby from both teams, without too much emphasis placed on the winners and losers.