Kidney chops and changes for Russia

Rugby:Irish coach Declan Kidney has made nine changes in personnel to Ireland's starting XV for Sunday's World Cup Pool game against Russia in Rotarua International Stadium. The net effect is that all bar one of the 30-man squad will have played come kick-off (6pm local time/6am Irish).

The only exception is Damien Varley, a late call-up for the departed Jerry Flannery, and save for Denis Leamy, all the rest will have started a game by the third match of the tournament. By contrast, four years ago in France, four players never played a minute in the tournament, and of the seven who were confined to appearances off the bench, a quartet made only one fleeting appearance each.

Fergus McFadden, Paddy Wallace, Isaac Boss, Sean Cronin and Leo Cullen all make their first appearances of the tournament, as will the hitherto unused replacement Donnacha Ryan, while Andrew Trimble, Ronan O’Gara and Tony Buckley are promoted for their first starts. The need for game time sees Rob Kearney, Cian Healy, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip retained, along with Donncha O’Callaghan and Keith Earls (who switches to outside centre).

“I think in tournament rugby it’s extremely difficult to play games non-stop,” said Kidney in Rotarua yesterday. “We’ve a lot of fellas training very well. I think over the last two weeks I’ve said how difficult it was to pick a team. These guys here are training very well and I think they’re the best men to represent us in this match. Their application and preparation has been the exact same as last week and I think that’s what we’re going to need going in to Sunday.”

For Wallace, particularly, it is a belated first start in three World Cups, having thus far played three minutes up until now. “Yeah, I’m delighted,” said Kidney. “There’s an awful lot that goes on behind the scenes which takes a huge amount of generosity from guys. The easy job here is probably playing one to 15, the difficult job is not being in the starting 15 and yet Paddy what has contributed would be an example for every young player coming through, as to how to give to the squad, without always wanting yourself. This being his opportunity, I’m sure he’ll grasp it with both hands.”

It is also a World Cup debut for captain Leo Cullen and winger Fergus McFadden. Three players were ruled out by injury, namely the hamstrung pair of Paul O’Connell and Gordon D’Arcy (although were both running yesterday) and Tommy Bowe (calf strain).

Meanwhile, the ill-feeling caused by much of the Australian media’s coverage of their team’s defeat to Ireland rumbled on, as Kidney responded with unusual anger to the comments by former Wallabies’ centre turned pundit Tim Horan that Ireland had deliberately slowed down last Saturday’s game by taking injury ‘time-outs’. What’s more, Horan claimed he knew this because he had spoken to Alan Gaffney in the immediate aftermath of the game outside the dressing-room and the Irish backs’ coach had confirmed it.

“What I can tell you for definite that the reporter (Horan) was never in the dressing-room, that the coach in question never spoke to him, so I can only let you make your own inference as to how he feels he can quote something that was never said,” said Kidney.”I think it’s incredulous and slightly scandalous that he would try to bring one of his own fellow countryman into something that is totally untrue. But that’s for other people to have their standards in life.”

IRELAND(v Russia, 2011 Rugby World Cup Pool C, Rotorua International Stadium, Sunday, September 25, kick-off 6:00pm local time/6:00am Irish time):

15 - Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 - Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
13 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
12 - Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)*
11 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
10 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
9 - Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Sean Cronin (Leinster)
3 - Tony Buckley (Sale)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)* Captain
6 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
7 - Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
17 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
18 - Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
19 - Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
22 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester)