Six get the chop as axe falls mercilessly

Time was, and not so long ago at that, when Irish selections were almost boringly predictable and unchanging, but suddenly not any more. In the most damning indictment yet on the Murrayfield performance, the Irish management have dusted off the selectorial axe and wielded it fairly ruthlessly in making six changes in personnel for the team to play Wales next Saturday in Cardiff.

Following the six changes between the French and Scottish games (admittedly eight months apart), this latest half-dozen changes makes for an untypical and slightly discomfiting break with the established pattern

In fact, there were to have been seven changes, until the unfortunate Gary Longwell broke a finger in training after being recalled to the starting line-up. The chief casualty is undoubtedly Ronan O'Gara, with Kieron Dawson entitled to feel a little aggrieved as well, while Malcolm O'Kelly had also been contemplating the fickleness of selectorial fate during most of the day until it transpired that the player named in his stead, Longwell, was ruled out yesterday evening.

In perhaps the unlikeliest comeback since Lazarus, Trevor Brennan has been drafted in to sit on the bench, having won the last of his 10 caps as a replacement against England in Twickenham 18 months ago.

After just two appearances in the second row this season for Leinster, the Barnhall Bruiser's qualifications as an international lock might be questioned, but not his status as an impact player.

Indeed, in what is perceived as a time of crisis for Warren Gatland, the Irish coach has seemingly taken comfort in resuscitating quite a few careers, with David Humphreys, David Wallace, Kevin Maggs, Peter Stringer, Mick Galwey and Eric Miller earning recalls, while Shane Horgan reverts to the right wing.

In addition to the injured duo of Geordan Murphy and Simon Easterby, and the already omitted Jeremy Davidson, O'Gara, Dawson and Guy Easterby drop to the bench. It is worth pointing out that 11 of this line-up started in the win over France last February.

Even so, between the front row and centre, only Anthony Foley survives from the last day, as both locks, both flankers and both half backs are changed. And Foley, by his own high standards of the last 18 months or so, had an uncharacteristically subdued day in Murrayfield where he was actually credited with one tackle.

But whereas the number eight has been forgiven, and rightly so, not so the others. In O'Gara's case, this seems a particularly harsh judgment. The 24-year-old Munster outhalf has been an integral part of the Irish team's rejuvenation for the 18 months before the Scotland defeat, becoming Ireland's quickest player to 100 points and to his credit he had recovered manfully from his Murrayfield off-day to guide Munster to successive European wins these past Saturdays, actually earning the official man-of-the-match awards both times.

Furthermore, he has presumably been earmarked as Ireland's World Cup outhalf in 2003, yet after this swift omission following one bad performance he's entitled to wonder how fickle the vagaries of this game are. At the very least you'd hope the management's handling of the episode has softened the potentially damaging long-term blow to his confidence.

At least, in this position, Ireland are undoubtedly replacing quality with quality. "It was a long debate," admitted Gatland somewhat wryly after what seemed a knowing glance towards his assistant Eddie O'Sullivan regarding the outhalf slot.

"We picked David because his display in scoring 37 points for Ulster against Wasps showed that he is right on top of his game. That was an outstanding performance which swung it at the end of the day."

O'Sullivan maintained it wasn't a reflection on O'Gara's form, per se. "David has shown a really good vein of form at the moment. It's not that Ronan is playing badly, it's just that we are looking for the form player who may just give us the edge on the day. David's really on fire at the moment." Gatland also revealed that Humphreys' match-winning performance in the corresponding fixture at Wembley two years ago had been a factor.

Nonetheless, it has to be said that Humphreys hasn't done his considerable ability justice on the last three occasions he's been picked from the start - away to Argentina and Canada the summer before last, and Romania in Bucharest last June. But O'Sullivan said it would be "facile" to judge Humphreys on the Romania display.

O'Kelly's temporary demotion to the bench looked like a warning and Gatland admitted at the lunchtime press conference before Longwell's negative X-ray results later in the day that he had been "disappointed with his (O'Kelly's) performance against Scotland." The coach admitted that the player's penchant for conceding penalties had been a consideration.

Gatland also expressed a preference for Wallace's "ball-carrying abilities" over Dawson's work at the breakdown, adding "we want to get the ball in his his hands."