O'Leary, Buckley the big omissions

RUGBY IRELAND'S SIX NATIONS SQUAD:THE OLD truism within Munster's ranks that the better the team performs collectively the more it will be reflected individually in the composition of Irish squads still holds true now, albeit in a reverse way.

On foot of their first elimination from the Heineken Cup in the pool stages for 13 campaigns, the big losers undoubtedly are Tomás O’Leary and Tony Buckley, neither of whom have made the cut for Ireland’s 32-man squad for the RBS Six Nations Championship.

Instead, each has to be content with a place in the Irish Wolfhounds squad, whereas Mike Ross, along with Peter Stringer and Eoin Reddan, have apparently jumped ahead of Buckley and O’Leary in the national pecking order.

For O’Leary it is quite a fall after a couple of years as the clear, first-choice Irish number nine, though this is also a reflection on his struggles to regain form and obtain more game time since suffering a broken hand at the end of November.

However, the degree to which yesterday’s 32-man Six Nations squad and 22-man Wolfhounds squad – which has one vacancy remaining at fullback and will be supplemented by further players following the weekend games – is a cut and dried pecking order remains to be seen.

For example, if O’Leary and Buckley start for Munster in their final Heineken Cup game against London Irish at Thomond Park on Saturday, one or other could yet perhaps be promoted to the senior squad.

That seems especially conceivable in the case of O’Leary, given there are only two scrumhalves in the senior squad and O’Leary offers something different from Stringer and Reddan, whereas, for example, there are seven backrowers.

To suddenly not have O’Leary in the mix at all would seem very strange indeed.

Aside from Ross, one of only four props in the senior squad along with Cian Healy, Tom Court and the retained John Hayes, the other eye-catching promotion – indeed something of a bolter – is the Connacht lock Mike McCarthy.

A good lineout operator and quick, who has been playing nearly every week, as the only uncapped newcomer, McCarthy clearly interests Gert Smal and the Irish management obviously want to have a closer look at him.

McCarthy previously represented England Under-21 at World Cup level in 2002.

As a number six turned lock, he also provides versatility as well as ball carrying and a defensive workrate which has impressed Les Kiss.

Dan Tuohy, who has impressed for Ulster since making a belated seasonal return following injury in November, is a little unlucky to miss out, as is Isaac Boss in the ultra-competitive scrumhalf area.

All those who have missed out on the 54 men named yesterday were in almost every instance the victims of injury – be they Geordan Murphy, Rob Kearney, John Muldoon or Marcus Horan – while Jerry Flannery is named in the hope he will yet be fit during the Six Nations.

The unluckiest player to miss out altogether is assuredly Fionn Carr, whose defensive shortcomings again outweigh his pace and finishing.

All in there could yet be a little jostling over the final weekend of pool matches in the Heineken Cup, which are also usually attritional, as well as between now and the World Cup, although this clearly is a pointer.

As is invariably the case with these squad announcements, the main selection issues have been deferred. Ross is clearly pushing hard for inclusion in the opener against Italy in the Stadio Flaminio next Saturday fortnight, as is Seán O’Brien, whether ahead of David Wallace in the starting line-up or Denis Leamy on the bench, given Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip remain cast in stone right now.

O’Brien has been the most dynamic, ball-carrying forward – never mind the backrow – in the country, the only caveat being that he has been playing mostly at six and eight, rather than openside, where Shane Jennings’s fine form has seen him recalled to the senior squad. Likewise Shane Horgan, though he will find it difficult to dislodge Tommy Bowe.

The big issue, undoubtedly, is fullback, given the enforced absence of Kearney and Murphy. Suddenly, a full-ish cupboard looks a little bare.

The talented duo of Luke Fitzgerald and Keith Earls would have designs on the position though are perhaps suffering a little for their versatility, while at the same time have played little or no rugby in something of a specialist position.

Fitzgerald played there in the opening two games of the season, but since then has played occasionally in the centre and mostly on the left wing, only making his reappearance after an eight-week absence following the knee injury he suffered against the All Blacks in last week’s win over Saracens on the wing.

That is hardly ideal, and although he is likely to start again this weekend away to Racing, understandably Joe Schmidt will assuredly start Isa Nacewa at full-back.

How the Irish management must wish Nacewa hadn’t played for a minute or two for Fiji at the 2003 World Cup, but then again if he hadn’t he’d assuredly have played for the All Blacks by now.

The other very real option is Gavin Duffy, who is a specialist full-back and was in very good form until a knee injury sidelined him four weeks ago.

However, the Connacht man is expected to return to action this weekend, in the Amlin Challenge Cup against Italian opposition in Cavalieri Prato.

That may not be ideal either, though as the Azzurri are sure to give the Irish fullback an aerial bombardment in Rome on February 5th, Duffy’s solidity could yet edge him closer to a first Six Nations start in his favoured position of fullback.

Plenty to play for this weekend then, and plenty still for Kidney and co to resolve. The squad will have a five-day work-out in Limerick next week, when much of the groundwork will be done, before reassembling on the Monday morning before the Italian job.

Ireland Squad Six Nations Championship

BACKS (13)

Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

Gordon DArcy (Leinster)

Gavin Duffy (Connacht)

Keith Earls (Munster)

Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster)

Shane Horgan (Leinster)

Ronan OGara (Munster)

Brian ODriscoll (Leinster)

Eoin Reddan (Leinster)

Jonathan Sexton (Leinster)

Peter Stringer (Munster)

Andrew Trimble (Ulster)

Paddy Wallace (Ulster)

FORWARDS (19)

Rory Best (Ulster)

Tom Court (Ulster)

Seán Cronin (Connacht)

Leo Cullen (Leinster)

Stephen Ferris (Ulster)

Jerry Flannery (Munster)

John Hayes (Munster)

Cian Healy (Leinster)

Jamie Heaslip (Leinster)

Shane Jennings (Leinster)

Denis Leamy (Munster)

Mike McCarthy (Connacht)

Donncha OCallaghan (Munster)

Paul OConnell (Munster)

Seán OBrien (Leinster)

Mick ODriscoll (Munster)

Mike Ross (Leinster)

Rhys Ruddock (Leinster)

David Wallace (Munster)

IRELAND WOLFHOUNDS

(Squad v Scotland A, Netherdale, Friday, January 28th)

BACKS (10)

Isaac Boss (Leinster)

Ian Humphreys (Ulster)

Denis Hurley (Munster)

Keith Matthews (Connacht)

Fergus McFadden (Leinster)

Johne Murphy (Munster)

Niall OConnor (Ulster)

Tomás OLeary (Munster)

Eoin OMalley (Leinster)

AN Other

FORWARDS (12)

Nigel Brady (Ulster)

Tony Buckley (Munster)

Willie Faloon (Ulster)

Jamie Hagan (Connacht)

Chris Henry (Ulster)

Kevin McLaughlin (Leinster)

Dominic Ryan (Leinster)

Donnacha Ryan (Munster)

Devin Toner (Leinster)

Dan Tuohy (Ulster)

Damien Varley (Munster)

Brett Wilkinson ‘(Connacht)