Awaiting the wearing of the green

SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: John O'Sullivan talks to exciting prospect John Kelly, who has been called into the Ireland squad for Saturday's international

The wait was almost intolerable. John Kelly knew there was a possibility of his making the Ireland squad for Saturday's Six Nations Championship game against Scotland at Lansdowne Road, but that notion merely served to tantalise. Last Sunday the 27-year-old Corkman hoped that the phone wouldn't ring, that he wouldn't hear the voice of Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan or team manager Brian O'Brien. For if he did it would sound the death-knell for his chances.

"We were told we would get a phone call on the Sunday if you were not going to make the squad," he explains. "By 10.0 p.m. that night I was freaking out, desperate to know. I got a phone call then from one of the lads suggesting that I was in."

It was then "panic stations" as he tried to organise joining the squad. "I was nervous but looking forward to it at the same time."

Now ensconced with the squad, the uncapped Cork Constitution and Munster wing cum centre is trying to adjust to unfamiliar circumstances. "To get here in terms of being on the bench is the first stage. Then it is to get a run and finally it's to try and contribute positively to the team."

His modesty precludes him from drawing attention to a strong performance in midfield for Ireland in the recent A international against England at Northampton, a match in which he easily coped with the demands posed by Henry Paul. "That week I geared my mind towards making sure that he (Paul) went on the deck every time he got the ball," Kelly responds when asked.

"I got in a good tackle on Henry Paul early on and something simple like that can set you right for the whole game."

Kelly's self-effacing humour can be seen from the fact that when asked to discuss his qualifications, he ventured that he had spent five years at UCC (four qualifying as a civil engineer and one more doing a Higher Diploma in Software Engineering) "and never did a day's work in my life". Despite enjoying a sabbatical as a Gaelic football centre half back at St Francis Capuchin College, Cork, Kelly's sporting prowess has been firmly channelled towards rugby since he walked through the gates of Temple Hill and took his place on the Cork Constitution under eights.

He made his Irish Universities debut against the USA at the Mardyke and won his first senior cap for Munster three years later against Cardiff at Musgrave Park. Since then has amassed a host of A caps making his debut in February 2000 against England.

He has also represented the Combined Provinces and Ireland under-25s, won an AIB League Division One title with Cork Con and reached the final of the Heineken European Cup with Munster (2000). His versatility has been as asset for any team on which he has played, as he switches from wing to centre and back again with facility.

So which position does he prefer? "At underage level I started on the wing, had a brief flirtation with flanker and then moved between centre and outhalf before going back to the wing at under-20 level. If you'd asked me last year I would definitely have said centre.

"This year I have been playing practically all my rugby for Munster on the wing and really enjoyed it. I couldn't really say one or the other. When I'm playing in the centre regularly, I enjoy the chance to go out on the wing and when I'm on the wing it's great to get a chance to be more centrally involved by playing in the centre. Probably the only thing that centre would have over wing is that you're more centrally involved."

Kelly expects nerves come Saturday. "I'm going to be nervous. I would always be nervous before games. It's a different kind of nerves when it is all new to you. It's another challenge, another step up, another test of your ability. When you walk into a situation where you don't know what the outcome is going to be, you are going to be nervous.

"Compared to most guys I'd probably be more nervous in the lead-up to a game. That's just part of my personality. I know it's important for me to be like that in the week leading up to a game. Otherwise, if I was laid back, I'd probably come on and be crap. The nerves are almost soothing in a funny way.

"I did have superstitions and things that I liked to do before a game, but you don't win games because of superstitions as much as you'd like to think that. So now it's almost my superstition to do something different every time," he says.

"I know one of the Munster lads was freaking out because he didn't have his lucky T-shirt to wear for one of the Ireland games. He was freaking out all week about it and then went on and won the man-of-the-match award: so it's not his lucky T-shirt anymore."

So what will he bring to the party on Saturday if he gets the call? "I do try and play for the team first and foremost, sometimes to the detriment of my own game. I try and work as hard as possible.

"I wouldn't say I'm the flashiest or most glamorous of players but I have that dogged determination to get the work done." Admirable qualities for what lies ahead.