Kidney sets modest targets

Ireland coach Declan Kidney broached a number of topics pertaining to the season ahead as he outlined his aspirations, both short and long term, in Cork today.

Flanked by team manager Paul McNaughton, forwards coach Gert Smal, backs coach Alan Gaffney, defence coach Les Kiss and with kicking coach Mark Tainton arriving later, Kidney offered a whistle stop tour of the importance of the autumn internationals, the Irish captaincy and his priorities as the new Ireland coach.

Kidney admitted: "It's been great, nerve racking in terms of trying to get everything right and things off to a good start. We invited 45 players in. We have been trying to get a balance between the provincial pre-season - it's slightly shorter this year - and striking that balance between the rugby and the conditioning work.

"The aims - rather than giving you the outlandish ones of trying to enjoy myself . . .  hoping that we do as well as we possibly can - can be broken down to results and performance.

"November is more important than it has ever been this year. There's IRB ranking points (available) and wherever we stand on December 1st is going to have an effect on the draw for the next World Cup. It has a three year effect how we go in the next three matches."

After the games against Canada, Argentina and New Zealand, Kidney will look ahead to the Six Nations where he simply stated that a successful campaign, in terms of signifying progress, would be to win more matches than Ireland managed last year.

On the issue of the captaincy he pointed out: "Brian and myself have been talking and taking a look at things

"Come November we'll take a good look at it and see how things are. I think it's important he gets a chance to concentrate on his own game. He's been shouldering things for the last five years. We'll see how things go.

"You don't win three Triple Crowns and throw that away too easily. At the same time you want to give him a small bit of space. It wouldn't be usual to name a captain at the start of a set-up."

McNaughton confirmed that a proposed test between Ireland and South Africa scheduled for later this year in Dubai was 90 per cent certain not to go ahead.