Wolfhounds try to catch Kidney’s eye in Exeter

Sandy Park in Exeter may seem an odd place to begin the countdown to Ireland’s 2012 RBS 6 Nations campaign but it is there the final pieces of Declan Kidney’s initial championship squad will fall into place as the Wolfhounds take on England Saxons this evening (5pm).

Kidney will announce a 30-man Ireland squad on Monday for the opening two fixtures of the campaign, against Wales in Dublin and France in Paris just six days later. Having had a 24-player group for a training camp in Limerick last week, even those with the most rudimentary mathematical skills will see there are places up for grabs, with those starting today’s A international in pole position to stake a claim.

Here the Irish Examiner assesses the positions Kidney may opt to fill.

HOOKER

There is a third hooking place up for grabs with Rory Best and Sean Cronin already in the senior squad and Jerry Flannery still on the sidelines. Damian Varley, called up to the World Cup when Flannery’s calf broke down, starts this evening with his Munster cohort Mike Sherry on the bench at Sandy Park.

PROP

Cian Healy and Mike Ross represent the rocks on which the Irish scrum is built but the depth of talent here is a serious concern, with overseas talent playing key roles at provincial level. Ulster’s Tom Court is the perennial senior back-up and though he can play both sides, loosehead is his speciality, perhaps then leaving a vacancy at tighthead. Munster’s Stephen Archer takes the number three shirt for the Wolfhounds with Connacht’s Ronan Loughney, who can also play both sides, on the bench while his provincial teammate Brett Wilkinson will start at loosehead.

LOCK

The battle may be on between Munster’s Donnacha Ryan and Donncha O’Callaghan to partner captain Paul O’Connell in the Ireland second row but the decision to send Leo Cullen for surgery on his Achilles’ tendons and the subsequent call-up of back-rower James Coughlan as his replacement indicates Kidney is happy with his lock options. That will not stop Ulster’s Dan Tuohy, Connacht’s Mike McCarthy and Leinster’s Devin Toner, off the bench, from seeking to make an impression in Exeter, however.

BACK ROW

Including the uncapped James Coughlan, Kidney has five back-rowers in his senior squad, with Stephen Ferris, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip the first choice triumvirate. There is a further trio, of Munstermen (Denis Leamy, Niall Ronan and David Wallace) out injured. Peter O’Mahony has filled the gap seamlessly at Heineken Cup level and his selection in the senior training squad last week leaves tonight’s back row of Rhys Ruddock, John Muldoon and Chris Henry, all previously capped, to stake their claims, with Kevin McLaughlin on the replacements’ bench.

HALF-BACK

The cup overflows for Ireland where this axis is concerned, with Conor Murray and Eoin Reddan at scrum-half and Jonny Sexton and Ronan O’Gara outside them as the shoo-ins for squad places. There will most likely be a vacancy for a third scrum-half. World Cup squad member Isaac Boss starts tonight with Tomás O’Leary, overlooked last autumn and bedevilled with injury. Leinster’s Ian Madigan starts at fly-half against the Saxons.

CENTRE

The race to replace injured captain Brian O’Driscoll, both in the short- and long-term, starts tonight, with Eoin O’Malley at 13 after an impressive season so far with Leinster. Ulster’s Nevin Spence partners him in midfield. Declan Kidney’s selection at outside centre against Wales next weekend will be keenly awaited with Keith Earls, Fergus McFadden or Tommy Bowe in the frame to partner Gordon D’Arcy. Paddy Wallace is the perpetual reserve for all seasons while the injured Darren Cave must watch on in frustration.

WING

Whoever misses out at 13 will vie for a wing place alongside Andrew Trimble, with young guns Simon Zebo and David Kearney seeking to put their hands up for consideration this evening against England’s A string. Connacht’s impressive Tiernan O’Halloran was an invitee to the senior training camp and the in-form Luke Fitzgerald is due back in training next week following a neck injury.

FULL-BACK

Rob Kearney is back to his electric best after missing last season with a knee injury so there’s a covering role at stake for Connacht captain Gavin Duffy in the Wolfhounds’ starting 15 in Exeter. Munster’s Denis Hurley is on the bench after growing in stature through the Heineken pool campaign in the absence of Felix Jones.

England Saxons: D Armitage (London Irish); U Monye (Harlequins), M Hopper (Harlequins), B Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers), M Banahan (Bath); F Burns (Gloucester), B Spencer (Saracens); M Mullan (Worcester Warriors), J Gray (Harlequins), P Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints); M Garvey (London Irish), G Robson (Harlequins); J Gaskell (Sale Sharks, captain), A Saull (Saracens), T Waldrom (Leicester Tigers).

Replacements: C Brooker (Harlequins), R Harden (Gloucester), K Myall (Sale Sharks), T Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), P Hodgson (London Irish), R Lamb (Northampton Saints), J May (Gloucester) IRELAND WOLFHOUNDS: G Duffy (Connacht); D Kearney (Leinster), E O’Malley (Leinster), N Spence (Ulster), S Zebo (Munster); I Keatley (Munster), I Boss (Leinster); B Wilkinson (Connacht), D Varley (Munster), S Archer (Munster); D Tuohy (Ulster), M McCarthy (Connacht); J Muldoon (Connacht), C Henry (Ulster, captain), R Ruddock (Leinster).

Replacements: M Sherry (Munster), R Loughney (Connacht), D Toner (Leinster), K McLaughlin (Leinster), T O’Leary (Munster), I Madigan (Leinster), D Hurley (Munster).

Picture: Simon Zebo will be determined attempting to bring his recent Munster form into tonight’s clash with the Saxons as he bids attempts to force his way into the senior picture for the 6 Nations Championship.