Expect strong selections

RUGBY:SUCH IS the importance of recording a confidence-boosting win in their final warm-up game at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday that Declan Kidney and Martin Johnson are today likely to name close to full-strength selections.

However, their hands are also tied by the desire to afford game time to the rustier members of their 30-man World Cup squads as well as, perhaps, resting anyone nursing knocks on the eve of the tournament.

It is thus not inconceivable, for example, that the scrumhalf bolters, Munster’s Conor Murray and Wasps’ uncapped Joe Simpson, will come face to face at some juncture. With Danny Care ruled out due to the damaged toe ligaments he sustained at Twickenham against Wales in England’s first warm-up game, and Ben Youngs recovering from a June operation and, for him, an undistinguished Six Nations, England, especially, may be of a mind to blood Simpson now.

Much of their running game last season and the infield incursions of the roaming Chris Ashton, revolved around the sniping of Youngs and Care, in tandem with Toby Flood, and the pacey, 23-year-old Simpson, Sydney-born to a New Zealand mother but reared in England, is the nearest thing to a like-for-like replacement for the unfortunate Care.

There would appear to be a similar argument for giving Murray his first Test start after a polished debut for the last quarter in Bordeaux a fortnight ago, all the more so as he was also confined to a replacement cameo for 30 minutes against Connacht, which merely underlines how much of a late bolter he was.

However, Eoin Reddan is one start shy of the stated ambition to give all the players two and a bit games, and for the same reason it is likely that he will be partnered by Ronan O’Gara, who thus far has had one start less than Jonny Sexton.

One of the two World Cup squad members yet to appear Tommy Bowe, should thus start if fit. Both fullbacks need game time after lengthy lay-offs, but with neither Geordan Murphy nor Rob Kearney being released for Leicester or Leinster, this would suggest that there is still concern about the groin injury Kearney picked up a fortnight ago in Bordeaux.

The other three potential wingers, Andrew Trimble, Keith Earls and Fergus McFadden, have all had the requisite amount of game time, and presuming Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy have overcome the various knocks they picked up last week, they are due another game. Earls and either McFadden or Paddy Wallace would presumably be covering midfield.

As all four props and two of the three hookers have had the requisite two starts, one way or the other, this may be the time to promote Jerry Flannery for what would be his first Test start since Paris in February 2010 after three comeback games off the bench.

Paul O’Connell is due a second start, as is Jamie Heaslip, while like Bowe, the management will be hoping David Wallace makes a seasonal reappearance if fit (spot the theme here). There’s also a concern about Seán O’Brien, while a la their softly-softly approach with Jerry Flannery, one imagines the management will not be of a mind to rush Stephen Ferris into his first full 80 minutes just yet.

Ultimately this result will only be a footnote in history. However, England suffered the ignominy of a defeat at the Millennium Stadium last Saturday week, in their second of two outings against the Welsh. Meanwhile, Ireland have suffered three successive defeats thus far against Scotland (away) and France (away and at home), and as the home team, in front of a sell-out crowd and against the auld enemy, Kidney probably feels under more pressure to win and thus has less elbow room.

Nonetheless, aside from blooding Simpson, and having rotated his squad in the two games against Wales, Johnson’s selection is liable to more closely resemble the team that won in Twickenham rather than lost in Cardiff. A striking contrast in the two performances was the flat alignment, straight running and trademark points gathering of Wilkinson at Twickenham, as opposed to the less assured Flood. Wilkinson appears to be travelling as first-choice and thus should start.

The main English interest will perhaps focus on their hitherto limited midfield, with the raw but potent Manu Tuilagi set for a second start after his try-scoring debut at Twickenham, perhaps alongside Mike Tindall, now part of royalty. The dynamic, first-choice back three of Chris Ashton, Ben Foden and Mark Cueto have yet to be permed together but are expected to be for this game.

In the frontrow Johnson has a ton of beefy English options to choose from after picking five props and three hookers. Tom Palmer was partnered by the 37-year-old Simon Shaw at Twickenham, but may have Courtney Lawes alongside him this time.

Results of James Haskell’s scan showed mild inflammation to a tendon in his foot, and having trained fully yesterday England say he is considered fit for selection. With Lewis Moody sidelined, Haskell therefore seems liable to feature alongside blindside Tom Croft, at either number seven with Nick Easter at eight, or at eight with Tom Wood at openside.