Dodging grub no consolation for Kidney

Ireland head coach Declan Kidney last night dismissed his team’s reprieve from post-match formalities in Paris as not “much of an olive branch” for the disruption caused to the squad and Irish supporters following last Saturday night’s postponement.

Kidney was following up on the IRFU’s expression of disappointment with the Six Nations Council’s decision to reschedule the postponed game between France and Ireland for Sunday, March 4 at 4pm local time rather than its preference for 24 hours earlier.

That would have given supporters a Saturday 3pm kick-off at Stade de France and allow the team a seven-day turnaround following the home game with Italy on Ferbruary 25 and before the Aviva Stadium fixture with Scotland on March 10.

As for the perceived concession by the Six Nations organisers to allow the Irish squad to skip the traditional post-match dinner on March 4, the irritated Kidney erred from his otherwise restrained response.

“I wouldn’t like to think that’s much of an olive branch. If it was on I’m not too sure we’d be hanging around for it anyway. We have a match six days later.”

At that Kidney turned to IRFU communications manager Karl Richardson and joked: “We should stop now Karl, they’re only getting me going. I have been good so far, I won’t break out.”

The Ireland head coach earlier expressed disappointment for the Irish ticket-holders who must now decide whether to seek a refund or return to France.

“They have already forked out to go over on a Saturday night that was never going to be a day trip with a 9pm kick-off, for the supporters to have to do it at 4pm on a Sunday, I am not sure how they will manage,” he said.

“ 4pm on a Sunday is really awkward. Can you afford to go again for the whole weekend? I doubt it, not in these times. And yet, if you are fortunate enough to have work on Monday morning how do you get home out of it on Sunday night?”

The upheaval to Kidney’s plans had already seen the IRFU release all but the XV selected to start the France game for their provinces’ RaboDirect Pro12 matches this weekend. That includes Munster’s Donnacha Ryan, who broke his nose as a substitute against Wales on February 4 and was wearing a protective mask during yesterday’s training session in Kildare (see Page 23).

Ryan is available and fit to play this weekend for his province in Treviso, as is fly-half Ronan O’Gara, who was reported to have been carrying a minor calf problem ahead of last weekend. Jonathan Sexton and Sean Cronin both sat out training after sustaining minor knocks.