WITH PETER Stringer added to the Ireland squad, in part because of ongoing concerns over Tomás O’Leary’s back problems, and Ronan O’Gara pressing hard for a recall, the half-back area appears to be the issue most vexing the minds of the Ireland coaches.
Tommy Bowe looks certain to be recalled, all the more so after taking a full part in training yesterday, while the likelihood remains O’Leary will be retained at scrumhalf. It would seem the management are not of a mind to afford O’Leary the same leeway as they did in the build-up to the French game, when he didn’t train all week due to his back spasm, but presuming there’s no overnight reaction to his exertions yesterday, O’Leary is set to be named in the starting XV today to play Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.
Maintaining that O’Leary, Eoin Reddan and Stringer were all in contention after training fully yesterday, backs coach Alan Gaffney said: “Tomás was a small bit constricted in what he did but the three nines all had a fair amount of time on the pitch today. We will make that decision over the next 24 hours or so about where we stand.
“Tomás went into the last game under a bit of a query, with the back, but he’s recovered pretty well and it doesn’t appear to be an issue, it’s something we’ll monitor. We’ll see how he is tomorrow and that is when the decision will be made. We will consider him if he is 100 per cent fit, we can’t go down that path of 85/90 because we have got good options. He was fine as the game went on (against France). He got heavily involved in defence and still played pretty well; it did hinder him a bit but he’s fine now.”
O’Gara has been on top of his game over the past few months, contributing positively off the pitch and on it with impact appearances off the bench against South Africa, Italy and France, and after the latter two efforts now looks set to start for only the second time since the summer defeat to New Zealand (having also started against Samoa last November).
If it comes to pass, this is not so much a reflection on Sexton’s form or even a case of him being “dropped” per se.
“I thought Jonny Sexton played very well (against France),” maintained Gaffney. I know that is something that hasn’t been written but I thought he played very, very well. I know there is some contention that we didn’t kick the ball enough but I can only think of two times in the game when that would have been done on our own conditions.
“Someone asked me a question a few weeks ago, ‘was Jonny Sexton the best 10 in Europe?’ My reply then is the same as now – we have got two outstanding out-halves. It is a great contest and they both bring different things to the table. When Ronan came on and drilled that ball into the left-hand corner, it was a great decision and it turned into a try. They both bring fantastic things to the table and we have got to take advantage of that; they are both good players; they are both good guys. We are not going to be lessened by playing either of them.”
There is unlikely to be any change up front, and here the scope is likely to remain curtailed given Munster effectively ruled both Jerry Flannery and John Hayes out of the remainder of the Six Nations, with Stephen Ferris also likely to be sidelined for the remainder of the tournament.
Munster also confirmed yesterday David Wallace has agreed a contract extension until the end of the 2011/12 season. The 34-year-old’s remarkable powers remain undimmed, though he admitted yesterday: “For a while there I was carrying a bit of a back problem but that seems to have abated. I feel like I’m getting around the pitch well, my work-rate is up better than it’s ever been.
“I’m loving it. When you come close to the end it’s looming and you get a feeling for how much it means to you. It’s certainly something you don’t want to give up easily. It still means as much.”
As for Scotland, Chris Paterson has been held back from Edinburgh’s game at the weekend; strongly hinting that their most-capped player and all-time leading points scorer is set to win only his second cap since injuring his kidney in the defeat to Wales last season. So, too, has prop Geoff Cross, who’s likely to be on the bench.
This in turn might support the rumour to have reached the Ireland camp that Andy Robinson is, surprisingly, set to promote Mike Blair and young Glasgow outhalf Ruaidhri Jackson, with Paterson to ease the pressure on Jackson by assuming the goal-kicking.
With Richie Gray to return, Ireland forwards coach Gert Smal described the Scottish lineout as outstanding. “It’s the way they manipulate it, too. You’ve got to be well organised to try and poach any of their balls.”
Height was an issue, he conceded, but throwing to the tail was still an option, whether by moving a lock there or employing Jamie Heaslip. “I would like to see us challenge ourselves (throw to the back) at certain times but it’s just to get the balance right as well, especially in our own half.”
IRELAND(probable): Fitzgerald; Bowe, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Earls; O'Gara, O'Leary; Healy, Best, Ross, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, O'Brien, D Wallace, Heaslip. Replacements: Cronin, Court, Cullen, Leamy, Reddan, Sexton, P Wallace.
