Kieran Marmion ready to grasp Ireland opportunity

Isaac Boss has not started in a Six Nations match for over seven years. Eoin Reddan and Conor Murray are injury concerns with the Irish management mood verging towards optimism on their fitness.

Not knowing how those injuries will break Joe Schmidt's consideration now clearly brings Connacht's Kieran Marmion into the scrumhalf picture.

Very few Wolfhounds matches against England Saxons have carried such import for Ireland in terms of selecting a squad to start a Six Nations Championship. There's a front row to be decided with Mike Ross dropped by Leinster and Cian Helay injured, a back row with Sean O'Brien and Jamie Heaslip in injury trouble and the outhalves to consider without Johnny Sexton and Paddy Jackson.

Discovered by the former Irish Under-20 coach Mike Ruddock, when Marmion was playing for the University of Wales Institute Cardiff, the scrumhalf's durability with Connacht and his determination to influence matches and snipe tries has been sparkling enough to catch the eye of Schmidt.

With three senior caps, there is a distance to go before the word seasoned can precede his name but Marmion sees Friday’s outing against a strong English side as a glorious opportunity that has opened.

"Obviously I'd love to play," he says. "I think it's a great opportunity for everyone ahead of the Six Nations so everyone is just fully focused on this game. The squad that they've named, a lot of them have played for England. It's not that it's a weak opposition. They've got some really exciting players in there, like Chris Ashton, Sam Burgess, Nick Easter. It's a tough pack as well so it's not an easy game."

Pretty much what Schmidt is looking for in a match shamelessly pitched this week as a trial for a number of positions and combinations that might transfer to Rome. Marmion, although he has had limited enough exposure to Schmidt, knows that the coach demands a way of playing and adapting to what may be a game breaker for selection.

“I think I’ve learned quite a bit from being in the environment,” says Marmion. “It’s different to what many people would be used to. It does take a bit of getting used to but I feel like I’ve learned a good bit since I’ve come here.

“Joe doesn’t really take any backward steps. When you are in here you really have to know what is going on. You have to know the detail. They won’t wait for you. That certainly does take some getting used to. You have to adapt quickly or else you get left behind.”

There’s many a slip betwixt cup and lip but every career player looks to exploit the openings that come their way. Game time on Friday night in Musgrave Park would be just that.

“Injury is how a lot of people get their chances but you have to take the next game, which is the Wolfhounds,” he says. “If you can’t perform in that then you’re not going to be able to go to the next level.”