Chance for the newcomers to stake a claim

RUGBY ANALYST:Each day with the Irish squad should be grabbed as if it's going to be the last, writes Liam Toland

"DREAM AS if you'll live forever but live life as if it's your last day." And each day in the Irish squad should be grabbed with the enthusiasm as if it's the last. Well that's what I'd be telling the new privileged faces in the Irish squad. They've arrived into a group who've an average of well over 50 caps; which is a daunting place. Reputations count for a lot but they must remember that the graveyard is full of indispensable people.

Someone took Mike Gibson's jersey and someone took Willie John McBrides's, Ollie Cambell's, Tony Ward's, Peter Clohessy's, Keith Woods' and David Humphreys'. There are 41 people in the Irish squad this week and eight are uncapped and literally living the dream. I know from experience that inclusion in Irish squads doesn't automatically translate into caps and the new faces must keep that uppermost in their mind. Pretty soon Declan Kidney will cull the numbers and before departing each player must leave an impression of excellence behind.

So how can the young players leave a lasting impression? In days gone by, the "old sweats" would start with the match off the pitch. That is the relationship with the coach. He picks the team so a good relationship with him is vital. I know players in the past who would invent reasons to develop their relationship to make it impossible for the cull to affect him. Cleverly the player would approach the coach after each session highlighting requirements for improvement that he could work on in his spare time. He'd improve on them in a very overt way and then return an even better player. The coach would have a great sense of achievement and more empathy with the "improved" player.

Then there's the match on the pitch. Gaining your peers' respect is much more difficult so smashing the "star" is a good start. People will notice if some crazy young fella has just embarrassed the main man. But of course the reality in the modern game is much different as they have entered a zone of perfection and adding value is what each player should focus on. Arrive first, leave last and be very hungry, co-operative and as keen as mustard.

Either way this augurs well for Kidney and his match 22 because the key to a dynamic squad at any level is true (and ferocious) competition for places. This would appear easy to generate but alas it's not so. How can a coach convince a young, raw and ambitious player that although a British and Irish Lion with over 50 caps is in a poor vein of form he's being selected?

I can still recall the underlining competitiveness throughout many squads where real competition often spills over into the press when a simple flat-out punch smashing a team-mate's nose can be taken out of context! I know in Leinster Mike Ruddock loved nothing more than watching sparks fly in training. After a poor performance I'll never forget the offer to join him in the carpark where he had the boxing gloves ready. I kindly declined. I truly believe Willie Anderson's famous continuity (murder ball) drills were created from the genesis of aggression. As a confrontation would break out you could hear him mumble "now we're training". This level of conflict and harmony between all ranks, old and new, adds real competition to the squad.

Alex Fergusson has continually maintained the route to success is the correct balance of age and culture throughout his various squads that he has had to build and rebuild over 22 years of unprecedented success in Manchester. It a simple concept that has a beautiful blend of old and new, where the young footloose and fancy-free mix with the age and experience of the elder lemons.

I've been very impressed with the willingness of Declan Kidney to extend the welcome to fringe players, casually dropping their names into conversation with journalists. What an unexpected boost to their confidence, the Irish coach acknowledging them in the national press. Other young players can consider themselves unlucky to have missed out. And judging from Ravenhill last weekend there'll be tough calls for Kidney around the corner. In particular the Ulster backrow was very impressive with David Pollock outstanding.

Certainly England's Toby Flood appreciated the heightened communications of the new regime under Martin Johnson where his extended staff make the effort to meet players outside the official training camps to prepare the ground. Flood's immediate competition for the 10 slot, Danny Cipriani, continues the point where "Martin Johnson has been in regular contact with me since my injury as he does with all injured players and has kept me in the loop, which has been very comforting and allowed me a focus and target throughout my recovery."

The mighty Daniel Carter moving to inside centre for the All Blacks gives food for thought. It frees up a well-deserved slot at 10 for Waikato Chief's 24-year-old Stephen Donald and prepares the ground for Carter's departure to Perpignan. It's not easy moving the iconic Carter out one, Graham Henry must be one confident operator. But maybe Thomond Park will see a beautiful blend of old and new next week.