Kidney forward thinking on backs

IRELAND coach Declan Kidney backed debutants Paddy Jackson and Luke Marshall to come of age in a green jersey against Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday.

Kidney went against type with his surprise decision to ignore the claims of 127-capped Ronan O’Gara and select 21-year-old Jackson to start at fly-half in place of the injured Jonny Sexton.

Describing Jackson’s selection over O’Gara as “a very tight call”, Kidney catapulted the uncapped Ulsterman in ahead of the 35-year-old on the basis of his better form and a strong showing in training since the defeat to England two Sundays ago. That game saw O’Gara thrown on after half an hour as Sexton hobbled off with a hamstring tear to level the scores at 6-6 with two penalties in wet conditions that suited his more pragmatic style. Yet England played the weather better with Owen Farrell booting the visitors back in front at 12-6 and when the Munster out-half missed his third penalty of the afternoon with 11 minutes remaining, Ireland missed a chance to set up a late rally.