Kearney's good far outweighs the bad

Johnny Wattersontalks to Rob Kearney who is delighted to have got the call from Eddie O'Sullivan.

Not long ago the names of Luke Fitzgerald, Cian Healy and Rob Kearney were young wannabes proud to wear the jerseys - the school jerseys. They were young players on the up. A few years on and all three are playing for Leinster and this week received text messages from Ger Carmody to say they had been invited onto Eddie O'Sullivan's Six Nations Irish squad.

For Kearney it is familiar territory. He played last June on the left wing for Ireland against Argentina in his first cap and since then has largely oscillated between fullback and wing for Leinster coach Michael Cheika. When Girvan Dempsey was injured he filled the fullback role for long enough to have grown fond it. Over the summer and into this season, Kearney has also taken advice from someone close to home, his father David, who highlighted the importance of having a sound defence. Kearney jnr took the instruction well.

"Yeh," he says. "It was my oul lad, who played a bit himself. Defence was always his number one thing and still is the thing he reckons is the most important. It was probably him who nailed it down in my head first. Over the last year or two, it may not have been up to the grade that I wanted."

Kearney has shown enough this season to feel that his name is one of several that O'Sullivan is considering for the first match against Italy. With the retirement of Denis Hickie and Brian Carney not making the Irish squad, there are fewer names vying for positions on the flanks. With an injury free Shane Horgan on the right, there's an obvious gap on the left where Kearney, Fitzgerald, Tommy Bowe or Andrew Trimble may see themselves fitting in.

This season Kearney's bloopers against Edinburgh (intercept) and Toulouse (block down) have had him feeling that "there is nothing worse, it makes you want to jump in a hole" but his game is where he wants it to be. There have been many more good showings than eye-catching errors and as Cheika observed earlier in the week, the young Leinster players are not in the squad to carry the tackle bags and water. "In terms of game time I'm delighted. I couldn't have asked for any more this season," he says.

"In terms of position, when Girvan was injured I played fullback and I really enjoyed that. At the moment I probably have a preference for fullback. In terms of where I want to be, I'm happy enough without setting the world alight.

"I'm delighted with the call. It's always a nervous day or two waiting for it but I'm really looking forward to getting into it. Obviously the first thoughts are for this week ahead and after that everything will be geared for the Six Nations."

For a 21-year-old Kearney shows an off-pitch maturity that belies his years and like Fitzgerald his game can often add a frisson of excitement to the Leinster attack. With Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll occasionally misfiring Leinster continue to have players who are unafraid to run at opposition defences. Last week he faced French World Cup star, Vincent Clerc.

"I really enjoyed that," he says. "These guys are fantastic international players. You've got to realise and keep telling yourself before the match that you are not far off these guys and don't give them as much respect as they deserve. It was a great challenge and I've enjoyed coming up against those players over the last few weeks."

Last week Clerc, this week the speedy Tom Varndell. "Well," says Kearney. "I guess I won't show him the outside."