Kidney: Irish players can do their talking off the pitch too

DECLAN KIDNEY has given his players the green light to keep on saying it as they see it — even if some of their public utterances continue to grate against the party line.

Some of the Ireland coach’s senior lieutenants have made statements in recent weeks which, while hardly mutinous, have painted the picture of a camp that has not exactly been reading off the same hymn sheet.

Chief among them has been captain Brian O’Driscoll who has twice called out his colleagues for their indiscipline during this Six Nations, as opposed to Kidney, who has preferred to turn the spotlight for such failings on the referees.