O’Kelly advises Toner not to give up on Rugby World Cup dream

Malcolm O’Kelly has told Devin Toner not to switch off after he was sensationally left out of Joe Schmidt’s 31 man Rugby World Cup squad.

The omission of the 67-times capped Leinster lock was the biggest shock in the selection — with the 33-year old making 49 starts in 60 Tests under Schmidt.

His replacement, Munster forward Jean Kleyn, has won just two caps after becoming eligible last month, under the controversial residency rules.

O’Kelly, who played at three World Cups for Ireland from 1999-2007, says it will be difficult, but told Toner to remain ready to fly to Japan at a minute’s notice.

“My own experience dealing with coaches is you become used to these situations, your relationship goes beyond the fact of being upset,” O’Kelly told Off the Ball. “You get your opportunity and you take it. If it comes next week and Dev is on the plane, he’s not going to grumble and say ‘I told you so’ — you take the opportunity.

“It’s very difficult, it’s one of the hardest things to do, I can remember sitting down with Declan Kidney myself on one occasion when I wasn’t a starter — I was a bench player, and he was talking to me about how to add value to yourself.

“Dev’s career isn’t over, it’s only one injury away. He will realise that, and has to try bring as much value as he can.

“If you don’t do that, you’ll be out of the squad completely. There’s always someone looking over your shoulder. He won’t give up. There’ll be an opportunity there for him again, I’m sure.”

O’Kelly was as surprised as anyone else when the squad was named without the Leinster regular included, particularly since there was no hint that the Meath man would be omitted.

But the former Lions forward said the head coach’s judgement must be trusted, and suggested Kleyn may be on the plane due to his extra physicality. Toner may be taller and heavier, but the South African born lock brings a more brutal edge to his game.

“It’s shocking news,” O’Kelly said. “I’m quite biased, I’d be pro-Dev, I know the value he brings in set-piece, the lineout, and the kickoff — he’s a very safe pair of hands, and he has been for many years.

“Someone like Jean brings a certain amount of physicality — they’d be looking at his stats in terms of hitting rucks, he won’t be winning the lineouts, he’ll be the front of the lineout as your second option, he brings a bit more iron in the pack, in terms of digging out and grafting in games.

“[But] as we saw against England, you can have all the graft you want, but if you don’t get the ball in the middle of the lineout, you’re in terrible trouble. I don’t know for sure, but Devin probably saw it coming. I’m not 100% sure what it’s down to, is it on the pitch or what? He had an ankle injury that he had an operation on, and maybe there’s an element of that, that he’s not back to that level of physicality or agility...he had a poor season by his own standards last year, with regards to injury so all these things are a factor in the coach’s decision...”

Elsewhere, O’Kelly believes Rhys Ruddock’s bulk has earned him the nod in the backrow ahead of Jordi Murphy.

“Joe has a few options there, Rhys is a hugely physical presence, and against England and South Africa, you need lads who can really match up physically.”

O’Kelly says the squad is ‘fine’, but he wants to see a serious improvement in performance against Wales this weekend.

“We’re missing that X factor, that spark,” he said.

“My favourite player is someone like Dan Leavy — and the squad could do with someone like him, or Peter O’Mahony really getting on fire.

“We have a strong squad but we just need to get the guys really up and going. Next Saturday is huge, they need to amp up the performance again. The squad is sound, it’s about finding those performances, attaining the highest performance they can.”