O’Callaghan, O’Leary the right calls by Kidney

IT’S time to think about booking your November flight to New Zealand. At least if you’re an international rugby player.

The 2011 Six Nations championship signals the start of the northern hemisphere’s build up to the World Cup. This competition allows managers to confirm their probabilities, to assess possibilities and even to blood a few wild cards.

Declan Kidney’s starting side for Ireland’s tournament kick-off against Italy has raised a few eyebrows. There were surely tight calls in certain positions. Injuries in other team units have forced Kidney into a positional restructuring. The starting XV hasn’t been greeted with unanimous approval. Kidney’s selection has sparked an angry barrage of text messages into various radio sport shows. Most of the noise is emanating from the RDS and its surrounds. Why O’Leary ahead of Reddan? Jennings should surely be picked instead of Leamy? Incredibly O’Callaghan starts and not the unlucky Leinster talisman, Leo Cullen? And is there anyone else around rather than Keith Earls who could fill the void on the wing? There is a feeling that Munster’s failure to reach the quarter-final of the European Cup should be more appropriately reflected.