Wolfhounds on borders of Kidney recall

DECLAN KIDNEY has promised there will be rewards for victory in Netherdale tonight (7.30pm) when the Irish Wolfhounds take on Scotland A in a fixture that has become increasingly important to the Irish coach.

Yesterday’s declaration from Kidney that RBS Six Nations places were up for grabs will have heightened expectation within the squad and his comments backed demands from A coaches Eric Elwood and Anthony Foley that their side produce the goods.

For instance, Kidney made the point Tomás O’Leary and Tony Buckley needed a run at this level to show they’re both ready to compete for places in the upcoming senior championship, as he reasoned: “You can do all the training you like, but you need to get games under your belt to come through.”

There may well be more Kidney wasn’t saying in relation to that duo, but it is an opportunity for them all the same. With the current injury crisis within the Irish camp, the list of serious wannabes has grown.

One of them is Elwood’s Connacht panellist Gavin Duffy, on whom the coach said: “For starters, guys are going to have to take this seriously; this is not just an A match and about fulfilling a fixture. These upcoming games (against Scotland and England) are meaningful games against good opponents.

“Gavin has been injured, but he has been playing very well all season. He was very unlucky with the injury in the last minute against Harlequins, but this is a big window of opportunity for him. He recognises that and there are (a few) other guys who recognise that. For Gavin, in particular, there is a huge carrot in front of him. If he can put in the performance in front of Declan and Gert, then the ball is in his court.”

Elwood didn’t pick the team and merely has to work with what he has been given. Yet there’s no complaint, just excitement. “Our team has been chopped and changed for one reason or another and Declan (Kidney) is obviously doing his best to get his side ready for the big one. I know it might sound clichéd, but it is a huge opportunity for some guys because there are slots open with the vacancies Declan has in his team.

“We haven’t had much time together, but we’re dealing with a talented group of players who are picking up the information quickly and they understand what’s being asked of them.”

Elwood knows it’s going to be tough against a team that has been built totally around Magners League and Heineken Cup sides Edinburgh and Glasgow, who will centre their style of play on running rugby. The match will be played in the Borders, the traditional stronghold of Scottish rugby, and the former Irish out-half expects little sympathy on the touchline.

“It’s going to be tough, for sure, there is free admission to the game and that will ensure a big attendance who will certainly throw everything behind their team. It will be a difficult night at the office, but a challenge that we will relish,” said Elwood.

Scotland’s A coach Nick Scrivener suggested it might well be hugely difficult for Ireland, pointing to the fact his team has emerged victorious from each of the last two fixtures to be staged in the Borders. They beat Tonga 38-7 in 2009 and USA Eagles 25-0 last November and are now intent on erasing the memory of the 34-19 defeat by the Irish in Belfast almost a year ago. Scrivener believes the key to overturning that result is the breakdown, an area where the Scots struggled to impose themselves at Ravenhill last February.

SCOTLAND A: J Thompson (Edinburgh); H. O’Hare (Glasgow), B. Cairns (Edinburgh), J. Houston (Edinburgh), L. Jones (Edinburgh); D. Blair (Edinburgh), G. Laidlaw (Edinburgh (capt); J. Welsh (Glasgow), D. Hall (Glasgow), G. Cross (Edinburgh); S. Macleod (Edinburgh), F. McKenzie (Edinburgh); R. Wilson (Glasgow), J. Beattie (Glasgow), A. MacDonald (Edinburgh)

Replacements: F. Thompson (Glasgow), M. Low (Glasgow), R. Harley (Glasgow), R. Grant (Edinburgh), C. Gregor (Glasgow), P. Murchie (Glasgow), C. Shaw (Glasgow).

IRISH WOLFHOUNDS: G Duffy (Galwegians — Connacht); J Murphy (Young Munster — Munster), E O’Malley (Old Belvedere — Leinster), N Spence (Ballynahinch – Ulster), D Hurley (Cork Con — Munster); I Humphreys (Ballymena — Ulster), T O’Leary (Dolphin – Munster); B Wilkinson (Galwegians — Connacht), D Varley (Garryowen — Munster), T Buckley (Shannon — Munster); I Nagle (Cork Con – Munster), D Toner (Lansdowne — Leinster); K McLaughlin (St. Mary’s — Leinster), W Faloon (Ballynahinch — Ulster), C Henry (Ballymena — Ulster) capt

Replacements: N Brady (Dungannon — Ulster), J Hagan (Corinthians — Connacht), A Browne (Galwegians – Connacht), D Ryan (Lansdowne — Leinster), I Boss (Terenure College — Leinster), N O’Connor (Belfast Harlequins — Ulster), I Whitten (Ballynahinch – Ulster)