Kidney up to his tricks again

Declan Kidney’s first team announcement has been long in coming since his appointment in May. Much had been anticipated about this selection as much as an indication of how his team would play.

While the Cork-man could have taken much enjoyment from his arrival at the top table of Irish rugby, such is the man’s nature he will simply now want to get on with the job.

The message was already sent out during the week that no sentimentality will affect this team. While Malcolm O’Kelly has continued to confound the critics by playing out of his skin for Leinster, that was not enough for his inclusion and was cut from the squad last Friday.

In the run-in to today’s selection Kidney, well aware of the pitfalls of any failure in the next three games, had stated that he was not going to meddle too much with the team. Too much relied upon these games to experiment.

And yet, it cannot be expected that the team which starts on Saturday in Thomond Park will start against the All Blacks one week later in Croke Park. However, the chance is now there for a number of players to assert their claims for a starting place against New Zealand.

Keith Earls’ first senior selection at full back is perhaps the most surprising, but not wholly unexpected. His excellent form for Munster has shown that he has the talent to step up to the next level. He must now take his chance if he hopes to be included against the All Blacks or the Pumas a week later.

With Shane Horgan and Girvan Dempsey both omitted, the message from the coach may well be that he is looking forward and not back. However, he may also be providing new players and partnerships with the opportunity to prove their worth. Kidney knows what Rob Kearney, who has been selected on the wing, can do from full back. Equally he knows what Dempsey offers. Earls may only get one chance to prove his worth at number 15 for this season.

Tony Buckley in the front row and Stephen Ferris in the back row are also somewhat surprise inclusions; most notably due to the lack of game-time the two have under their belts this year for Munster and Ulster, respectively. Both now have the opportunity to repay the manager’s confidence in them by turning in performances on Saturday.

Shane Jennings and Jamie Heaslip finish off the back row. Jennings is Ireland’s best ground-hog open-side and if Ireland are to win against the All-Blacks, they must stop Ritchie McCaw at the break-down. But he needs to perform against Canada first. But even then that may not guarantee his selection ahead of David Wallace.

The most exciting selection is the centre partnership of captain Brian O’Driscoll and Luke Fitzgerald. Originally selected for the first summer test before Fitzgerald returned home injured, the two have started to prosper as a partnership for Leinster. Now is the chance to test it at the top level.

The mix of the experienced and new in Kidney’s first selection appears, at first look, to have a good balance. Enough experienced players to take responsibility alongside a good mix of younger players to bring a new dimension to the team. Let’s hope this is a sign of things to come.