Kidney names huge squad with three key issues in mind

THERE IS more than a touch of irony in predicating any analysis of Ireland’s gargantuan 44-man squad for the upcoming Six Nations Championship by first referring to several players who haven’t made the long-list.

Luke Fitzgerald (knee), Denis Leamy (knee), Gavin Duffy (cheekbone) and Geordan Murphy (shoulder) wouldn’t have been considered due to injury, albeit the latter is much closer to pencilling in a return date to competitive fare; it’s a matter of weeks.

Munster hooker Jerry Flannery is included in the national panel and although he isn’t named in the province’s match squad for Friday’s Heineken Cup match tussle with the Northampton Saints, he did resume contract training yesterday. Flannery may play for Shannon in their AIB League clash with fellow Thomond Park tenants UL Bohemian on Saturday.

It was a route taken by team-mate Marcus Horan last weekend, the Munster prop managing his first competitive action with the Limerick club having been sidelined since last October.

The most spectacular rehabilitation was that of Ulster hooker Rory Best who was expected to miss the entire season after undergoing neck surgery for a chronic problem last summer.

He has resumed contact training but as he recently admitted “I am delighted now to really see the light at the end of the tunnel. If I can continue to progress then maybe a return after the Six Nations is a strong possibility.”

Ireland coach Declan Kidney’s decision to name such a large squad is based on the fact he also has one eye on upcoming A internationals against the England Saxons (January 31st in Bath) and Scotland (February 5th in Ravenhill) as well as the opening game of the Six Nations Championship against Italy at Croke Park on Saturday fortnight.

While the majority of the shadow Ireland side will be chosen from the named squad it’s reasonable to assume players like Ulster duo Ian Humphreys and Darren Cave, Northampton triumvirate James Downey, Roger Wilson and Neil Best, Bob Casey (London Irish), Fionn Carr (Connacht) and Johnny Muldoon (Connacht) might be considered for the A games.

There forward resources are divided into eight props – including newcomer Ulster’s Declan Fitzpatrick – four hookers, seven secondrows (if you include Donnacha Ryan in that category), five flankers and two number eights.

Kidney has elected to go with four scrumhalves and just two outhalves in Jonathan Sexton and Ronan O’Gara.

Shane Horgan, Denis Hurley and Isaac Boss and Andrew Trimble are rewarded for excellent current form in a squad that also harbours nine uncapped players, one of whom is Ulster’s talented Australian-born secondrow Dan Tuohy.

Kidney explained: “When naming the squad, we had three main considerations, with the most important being the opening game against Italy, followed by the A games and further down the line with the Rugby World Cup.

“Building a squad has always been a priority for us and the work done during the first half of the season means there is a little more experience accumulated in the squad then we had a couple of months ago.

“While there were new players who gained vital experience during the Guinness Series, the goal is to keep that experience ticking over with all the players who need international level game time.

“By having the A games early, it allows us to get people on the pitch so they can keep their own performance levels up as we progress through to the later stages of the championship.

“The aim is now to continue that while trying to increase the competitiveness that we need for the Italy game. The provinces have all been in good form, making selection even more competitive, but we will need that for the big challenges that are ahead for the group over the next couple of weeks.

“The focus is very much on our game against Italy in a fortnight’s time.”

The 44 man panel will train together in Limerick next week before an A squad is named on January 26th ahead of the away fixture against the England Saxons.