Kidney sticks with tried and tested

WE may be at the very start of a World Cup cycle with three and a half years to shape an Ireland team to take on all comers in 2015 but the Six Nations squad unveiled by head coach Declan Kidney yesterday was very much in the ‘as you were’ mould.

Kidney has named a 24-man senior panel for next week’s pre-Championship training camp in Limerick, all of whom were members of the last Rugby World Cup squad.

There are six uncapped players who have been invited to attend the camp and there is a 24-man Wolfhounds squad which will contest an A international with England Saxons in Exeter on January 28 and all of those players have been told they have time to stake a claim for a place in Ireland’s squad for the RBS 6 Nations opener with Wales at the Aviva Stadium on February 5.