Cheika gives young players a chance

MAGNERS LEAGUE:LEINSTER COACH Michael Cheika has raised one or two eyebrows in naming his squad for Sunday's Magners League game against the Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Given the constraints imposed by the IRFU and the Ireland team management in terms of the number of matches internationals are permitted to play over the next eight-game tranche of the season, his decision to rest what equates to the majority of his first team this weekend is not altogether surprising.

He’s made a value judgment on husbanding his playing resources and although at face value it appears the squad epitomises callow youth and inexperience, that’s not quite true.

Fullback-cum-wing Niall Morris, flanker Paul Ryan and centre Eoin O’Malley are all 21 years of age and have represented Ireland at multiple underage grades.

Girvan Dempsey is likely to start at fullback so Morris may have to content himself with a place on the bench as David Kearney (20), younger brother of Rob, may be handed the right wing berth. O’Malley has been injured for a sizeable part of the season but assuming Shaun Berne is chosen at outhalf, especially with a view to the upcoming Heineken Cup games, then the former Belvedere schoolboy should join Fergus McFadden in the centre.

Assuming Cheika will go with his more experienced players it would see Simon Keogh chosen on the right wing and Chris Keane at scrumhalf. This would leave outhalf Ian McKinley (20 today), wing Michael Keating (20) and Ian Madigan (20, outhalf/fullback) vying for two slots on the bench alongside Morris.

In examining the composition of the backline it should be noted that there are plenty of players in Test rugby who are younger than those listed above.

It should also be acknowledged that every one of the above players of 21 years old and under, have played for Ireland at more than one representative level. Rodney Parade will be a decent test of their aptitude to play professional rugby at the highest level.

Leinster may lack the unit skills that come as a result of a team playing regularly together but it would be misguided to suggest these young players shouldn’t be able to physically handle the assignment.

Although prop Jack McGrath (20) and 6ft 6in secondrow Mark Flanagan (20) have been included in an extended squad, they may be surplus to requirements at the weekend as Cheika can field a hard-core front five.

Trevor Hogan, ostensibly a secondrow has played in the number six jersey, but if Cheika resists that temptation then two of the most gifted young backrows in Irish rugby could start either side of Stephen Keogh at number eight.

Rhys Ruddock (19), a son of former Leinster and Wales coach Mike, and former Gonzaga schoolboy Dominic Ryan (19) played for Ireland in the same under-20 team and possess the raw ability to make a big impression in the professional game.

Ruddock, whose brother Ciarán is also in the Leinster Academy, previously played for Wales at under-16 and under-18 levels.

Cheika’s decision to rest the majority of his front-line players represents a major opportunity for a handful of young players to press their claims.

Speaking of matters underage, it was amusing to note the wildly different interpretations of the respective coaches after Ireland under-19 beat the Australian Schools 15-0 at Cork IT on Wednesday night.

Ireland’s Allen Clarke pointed out: “The 15-0 scoreline – four penalties and a drop goal – doesn’t reflect the type of rugby that we played out there. We played with width, sometimes too much width, not keeping them honest enough by busting them up the middle. But, I think it is a measure of this group, their expectation and their ambition that we were disappointed we didn’t score tries.”

Contrast this appraisal with that of Australian coach Rob Nowlan, who admitted: “Ireland were very passionate, they played with pride and vigour and they outplayed us. We had attacking opportunities but we didn’t take them, we blew them, we dropped the ball in their half and they had good players in key positions who made us pay.

“Ireland played what I like to call strangulation football: they kick the corners, draw the lineout, kick over the top with box kicks, put you under pressure in your half, draw the penalties and kick the goals. That’s exactly what they did and they did it well.”

It appears to be very much a case of interpretation.