It’s time to test the fringe players

IT’S on occasions such as these that people like Declan Kidney realise that their day’s work is never really done!

The deep satisfaction and sense of relief after the vastly improved performance against Australia has already given way to planning ahead to Sunday’s clash with Russia in Rotorua.

The Russians, of course, are one of the minnows and it is a near certainty that Ireland will beat them with plenty to spare and a bonus point to boot. The main task facing Kidney is piecing together the kind of side that will get the job done while bearing in mind that several of his squad have yet to even sit on the bench at this World Cup.