Back row battle will prove crucial

Tommy O’Donnell’s elevation to the Irish Wolfhounds team came as no surprise to Munster team-mate James Coughlan but both will have their work cut out against a big and physical England Saxons back row at the Sportsground tonight (7.35pm).

Coughlan captains the Wolfhounds with O’Donnell and Leinster’s Kevin McLaughlin at his side as flankers and all are playing for a place in the 30-man senior squad head coach Declan Kidney will name this weekend for next week’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Wales in Cardiff.

If the Irish back row make a mark this evening, they will have really earned their keep as they face a formidable Saxons trio in George Kruis, Will Fraser and Jordan Crane.

“I’ve looked at their pack and they’re big men,” Coughlan said.

“In the back row is a massive man — George Kruis — I’ve played against him at Saracens. Jordan Crane is a big ball carrier.

“So I think they’ll be coming over here to try to dominate us physically.

“It’s a huge psyche that we’ll have going into the game that if we can win the collisions we’ll come out on the right side of the result.”

Five years on from his Munster senior debut, 25-year-old O’Donnell has risen to prominence this season thanks to the retirements last season of Denis Leamy and David Wallace. Coughlan believes consistent exposure to high-level rugby means his inclusion should be no surprise.

“I think Tommy’s development physically has been incredible. He’s extremely quick, he’s a big strong ball carrier, and he’s been extremely efficient around the breakdown, which is exactly what you’re looking for out of your seven.

“I think he’s a good head on his shoulders, he goes looking for advice from the right people and Axel has been massive with us, myself and Tommy as well.

“We’ve had Wally and the boys ahead of us for yours so we didn’t really have to go very far to get good advice.

“The more you play the more chances you give yourself of being selected. I think Declan’s been consistent over the past few months so I think he deserves his shot and I’m sure he’ll be looking to go another step further.”

O’Donnell is one of eight uncapped players in the Ireland A team tonight, ranging from 32-year-old Coughlan to 19-year-old Connacht full-back Robbie Henshaw.

Ulster half-backs Paul Marshall and Paddy Jackson are paired together in green while Connacht’s Dave McSharry starts at inside centre in a midfield partnership with Ulster’s Darren Cave, capped three times at Test level.

Outside them is plenty of experience as Luke Fitzgerald and Andrew Trimble occupy the wing berths, with 72 caps between them.

There are seven caps spread among the front five in the forwards, however, where Munster’s Dave Kilcoyne and Mike Sherry form a front row with Leinster’s Michael Bent, who made his Test debut in November having just arrived from New Zealand, while the thrice-capped Devin Toner locks the scrum with Lewis Stevenson.