Henry debut as Kidney forced into hard calls

SOMEHOW Declan Kidney managed to patch together an Ireland starting XV yesterday.

But whether the adhesive on those patches is strong enough to survive 80 minutes of an Australian onslaught remains to be seen.

Kidney named just one debutant in number eight Chris Henry but he didn’t shy away from the big calls either. At full back, out-half and tight head prop, the Ireland coach left veterans on the sidelines in favour of three younger protagonists.

Echoing Gert Smal a day earlier, Kidney insisted that John Hayes remains in his plans for next year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. However with this announcement he became the first national coach not to select a fit Hayes since the veteran’s debut in 2000. Instead Tony Buckley is rewarded for his tour de force against the All Blacks a fortnight ago.

Donncha O’Callaghan stands out as the only seasoned campaigner in the pack, his experience vastly greater than any of his fellow forwards. The back row meantime have ten caps between them. Kidney though has no qualms about his calls.

“There is the inexperience, but sometimes if a guy gets a go and there’s seven experienced fellas around him, he can just go quiet and a little bit mute and he doesn’t end up bringing himself to the whole thing.

“And you’re trying to encourage that, because it certainly is a game for leaders. You want fellas who can do the dirty work but also fellas who, when the going gets tough as it will on Saturday and as it will do in every test match, can just bring teams through.”

He cited the backrow as an example. “Shane Jennings is well used to leading Leinster, who are a top side while Chris Henry is well used to captaining Ulster. Then in a big match like this you’re encouraging them to be who they are and to play for the reasons they were selected. The reason they got selected is because of what they do week-in week-out.

“To leave John Hayes out after what, 102 caps, and there’s probably only been 105 games in that time (it’s difficult),” admitted Kidney.

“I thought Tony had run well (against the All Blacks). John had picked up a virus earlier on in the trip. He came out and played the second half against the Maoris and I felt he wasn’t as sharp as he usually is. But the demands on John have been colossal and I thought Tony was going well.”

Equally Kidney found it difficult to leave Ronan O’Gara on the sidelines just one game shy of becoming the third Irish Test centurion.

“It certainly is (difficult), but he’d be the last person that would want emotion to come into the thing. You have to do what you think is right,” said Kidney, who paid tribute to the player he has coached since schoolboys level.

“To win (99 caps) as an out-half is just incredible. I remember talking to Tom Kiernan one day and he was just saying he doesn’t know how Rog has done it. Performing at that level in that position, that consistently, over that period of time is an incredible achievement. But I’d like to think there’s more than 100 in Ronan.”

The selection of Sexton leaves little doubt though that Ireland are going to attempt to play the Wallabies at their own free-flowing, all-action game.

“We need to play as intelligent a game as we can. You play in different conditions and in the World Cup, you’ll get the different types of seasons in September/October in New Zealand and it’s going to be important to play many different types of game. Obviously you want to play ball in hand as much as possible. It’s the way the game is leaning, and you just move with the times.”