RUGBY:DECLAN KIDNEY is unlikely to emulate Marc Lievremont in making 13 changes to his starting line-up, but the Irish coach has been given more elbow room by the latest medical bulletin from the Irish camp. Four Lions, namely Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Stephen Ferris and Tommy Bowe, have all been declared fit for Saturday's return rendezvous with France and at least three of them look likely to feature in the match-day squad announced today.
Furthermore, Rob Kearney’s scan merely revealed a straight groin strain, meaning he should be training fully, if not playing, by the weekend. With Jerry Flannery having come through 20-minute and 30-minute run-outs back-to-back, the Irish squad appears healthy. Touch wood, touch wood, touch wood; for there are still two meaty full-on Tests against France and England to come, not to mention tomorrow evening’s additional warm-up game against Connacht.
One suspects the management will be especially keen to see Ferris in action, if only for the last 20 or 30 minutes. There had been a real fear that Ferris, whose troublesome knee has sidelined him since last January, would not feature in the August programme, which would have made including him in the 30-man World Cup squad, to be named on Monday, decidedly risky.
“It is a surprise, he’s actually come forward faster than anticipated, according to him and the medical team,” admitted Ireland kicking coach Mark Tainton yesterday. “Over the last two weeks he’s been doing all types of running and doing contact which is great, to have Stephen Ferris back on the training field. Hopefully, if it all goes well with today’s training, the intention would be to get him on the pitch some time this week.”
The possible exception to the aforementioned quartet is Bowe, who twisted a foot in training three weeks ago. “Tommy’s being doing full training ahead of next weekend and that’s what we will judge him on,” said Tainton. But as of yesterday the management had still to decide “whether he needs another week”.
Others seem sure to make their first start of the season against the French, such as Paul O’Connell and Jamie Heaslip, as well as David Wallace, who has yet to feature in the August warm-up programme.
Today’s announcement will also contain the team to play Connacht, although one cannot presume that today’s announcement will constitute a strict pecking order given the management’s stated intention to give everyone at least two and a bit games this month.
Even so, it will be especially fascinating to see how the scrumhalf conundrum is panning out, for one of the five in the current enlarged squad will not even make the bench in either game. For example, all the indications were that Conor Murray had come into the squad as fifth choice, but the way he seamlessly made his debut in the 60th minute in the furnace that was the Stade Chaban-Delmas suggested the 22-year-old has the temperament as well as the ability for Test rugby. Cometh the hour and all that.
“It’s ridiculous for a really quiet fella,” said Keith Earls yesterday of his one-time schools’ team-mate. “He came out of nowhere. I think he came on against Newport in Musgrave Park and got man of the match and I think it all kicked off from there. Tomás (O’Leary) got injured and he got his chance and put his hand up. He’s a quality player.
“He was actually on my senior schools’ team St Munchin’s, the year we won it. He was so good but he never got a run. Paul Rowley, who was playing for Munchin’s at the time, always seemed to be ahead of him but now he’s overtaken everyone in the last couple of months. I’m delighted for him because when I was in the Munster squad I used to always see him out in the gym by himself. He always worked hard.”
It will be interesting to see which props are picked and where, with John Hayes – having been the oldest player at the last World Cup, set to emulate that feat four years on – liable to be in the frame for next Monday’s cut-off. It should also be revealing to see which of the other fullbacks in the squad, Felix Jones and Geordan Murphy, start which game in Kearney’s absence, with Jones perhaps in line to play the French.
On a separate note, Tainton did not expect the problems of four years ago with match balls, given the Gilbert ball for this year’s tournament will be the same as has been used since last November save for the markings. They will also be supplied with all six-match balls the day before the games in New Zealand, whereas four years ago were only allowed use two of the six.
Whereas the English game on Saturday week is sold out, there are less than 5,500 tickets for next Saturday’s first of the two Guinness Summer Series games against France. Tickets are still available through ticketmaster.ie.
