Time to rally behind the troops

THE FOREMOST emotion on occasions like this is one of sympathy for those who have missed out on selection.

Foremost among them is Tomás O’Leary, who appeared to be Declan Kidney’s number one choice at scrum-half for so long. Then you have John Hayes, whose career is now almost certainly at an end, other veterans like Peter Stringer, Marcus Horan and Mick O’Driscoll, the talented but enigmatic Luke Fitzgerald, along with those ruled out by injury.

O’Leary’s form had been inconsistent prior to Saturday’s defeat to France, largely due to a series of injuries and a difficulty in performing the primary duties of an international number nine. And when nothing went right for him against the French, Kidney was forced into a rethink. Having already dispensed with Peter Stringer and decided that Conor Murray was a man for the future rather than the present, he has executed a u-turn in opting for the youthful Garryowen player along with Eoin Reddan, whose place was assured, and Isaac Boss.

The other major problematic areas were the back three of the back divisions and the front-row of the scrum.

In opting for a 16-14 forwards-backs split, Kidney gave himself a choice of two from Fitzgerald, Geordan Murphy and Fergus McFadden. Fitzgerald was the one to lose out leaving Murphy to challenge Rob Kearney for the number 15 jersey in New Zealand.

Brian O’Driscoll applauded the inclusion of McFadden whom he described as “a great personality, one of the fittest guys I know and one who will want to start.” Given the lack of a cutting edge in the three games so far, McFadden might even stretch the captain himself for his place on big-game day.

So far, this has proven an under performing squad with many key men struggling to find form. First choice props Cian Healy and Mike Ross carry a massive responsibility now that Kidney has had to accept Tony Buckley and Tom Court as his best alternatives and reluctantly decided that the career of Hayes is at an end.

It is nothing new for misgivings to be aired concerning the Irish scrum and the situation is now compounded by the difficulties prevailing at the line-out. Jerry Flannery’s return should help and a repeat of Donncha O’Callaghan’s heroics against England last March when the sides meet again on Saturday would be immensely reassuring.

Some coaches would omit people from such a coveted squad and think little of it. But Kidney is nothing if not sensitive and when he spoke yesterday of the “extraordinarily difficult decisions” he had to make, you appreciated just how hard it was to tell the unlucky ones of their fate.

Whatever the feelings about the selection, the time has come for all to rally behind Kidney and his squad and support them to the hilt as they set out on this latest World Cup adventure.