KIDNEY'S TEAM:WHILE DECLAN KIDNEY gave his first interview as Ireland coach in Cork, negotiations to fill the national management team were conducted in Dublin with South African Gert Smal and Leinster's Paul McNaughton expected to be confirmed as forwards coach and national team manager respectively.
Smal has filled the role of forwards coach for the Springboks on three occasions, first under Carel du Plessis, then under Rudolf Straeuli and more recently with Jake White, the latter association culminating in South Africa winning last year's World Cup. He was an accomplished flanker during his playing days, representing the Springboks, before becoming a respected forwards coach.
McNaughton will reprise a relationship he enjoyed with Kidney during the latter's one-year tenure at Leinster.
The former Greystones, Leinster and Ireland centre (15 caps) was a superb all-round sportsman, playing hurling and football for Wicklow. He was also an amateur soccer international while playing for Shelbourne and concentrating on a career that included being global head of Deutsche Bank Securities. He is currently an independent consultant to and non-executive director of several investment companies and banks.
Munster's Australian-born defensive/backs coach, Tony McGahan, could be added to the Ireland ticket.
The IRFU did, however, confirm yesterday the interim management for the national team's game against the Barbarians and their summer tour to New Zealand and Australia.
Connacht coach Michael Bradley will lead the tour and will be assisted by Niall O'Donovan. Given the fact there had been no communication between the union and O'Donovan for about six weeks and his contract expired last week he was surprised to get a phone call on Wednesday morning from Noel Murphy of the IRFU Appointments Committee inviting him to coach the forwards for the summer tour and the Barbarians match.
O'Donovan and Bradley effectively swap the places they occupied for Ireland's tour to Japan in 2005, when the Shannon man filled the role of head coach and was assisted by Bradley.
Defence coach Graham Steadman has also been retained on the interim coaching ticket while the former Ireland A team manager Joey Miles will fulfil that role with the senior side.
The previous team manager, Gerard Carmody, has moved to the position of IRFU team services manager but will remain with the squad for this tour to manage all team logistics.
Munster's fitness and conditioning coach Paul Darbyshire will fill that role for Ireland's summer tour, taking over from Mike McGurn.
Most of the backroom staff from the Eddie O'Sullivan regime have been retained.
Allen Clarke (head coach) and Brian Walsh (backs) are expected to be confirmed as the management to the Ireland team for the Churchill Cup next month.
The squads for the Barbarians game, the summer tour and Churchill Cup will be announced today (2pm). There has been no official confirmation as to whether Kidney will travel to the Southern Hemisphere.
IRELAND INTERIM MANAGEMENT TEAM
Michael Bradley- Head coach
Niall O'Donovan- Forwards coach
Joey Miles- Manager
Graham Steadman- Defence coach
Paul Darbyshire- Fitness/conditioning
Mervyn Murphy- Video analyst
Gerard Carmody- Services manager
Gary O'Driscoll- Doctor
Cameron Steele- Physiotherapist
Brian Greene- Athletic trainer/physio
David Revins- Masseur
Paddy "Rala" O'Reilly- Baggage master
