Tough decisions are left for another day

SIX NATIONS NEWS ROUND-UPTHE HARD decisions, indeed the vast majority of the decisions, await for another day. In naming 39 players for his first Six Nations squad yesterday, Declan Kidney will not have disappointed too many players and as is often the case at this juncture, the relatively numerous panel was notable more for its absentees than those included.

In fact, yesterday’s list includes all but four of the 41-man squad originally named for the autumnal series. Those to miss out are Barry Murphy, Gavin Duffy, Tony Buckley and Roger Wilson. The latter is suspended, along with Neil Best, while Buckley (glandular fever) is injured, along with Leo Cullen, and Duffy at least has the compensation of being named amongst the additional nine players for the A squad to play the England Saxons, along with three of his Connacht team-mates.

But there is no such consolation for Murphy, whose star appears to have fallen sharply.

Gordon D’Arcy is recalled from injury and Darren Cave is promoted – the Ulster centre effectively being the one player whose form has forced his way into the reckoning.

Whether significant or not, no captain was named yesterday. Were the management intent on naming Brian O’Driscoll as captain, presumably they would have done so yesterday, whereas were they intent on changing, presumably they wouldn’t have announced it yesterday. Most likely though, as with last November, it is a decision they are not rushing into it and will await the events of this weekend.

Another inspirational tour de force by Paul O’Connell in leading Munster to another bonus-point win over Montauban, and with it a Heineken Cup home quarter-final, as against something too grim to contemplate for O’Driscoll and Leinster the next day, would have to strengthen the argument for change.

Whereas O’Connell was again outstanding last weekend, O’Driscoll’s form has to be a concern. He again seemed hampered by an early bang on the head. Signs of a return to his vintage best with those three tries in one and a half games against Edinburgh and Wasps have faded somewhat, amid a slightly hamstrung November/December, though he appeared to have been refreshed by a two-game break over Christmas when returning against Cardiff.

His greater inclination to kick is part of a widespread ill afflicting the game, though it recalls Matt Williams’ famous remark that “Brian O’Driscoll was touched by God to run with the ball, not to kick it”. In part, too, his form has suffered alongside most of those in a somewhat blunted Leinster backline of late, in which he is often being used as a decoy.

With the emergence of Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Earls and Cave, the return of D’Arcy and the form of Paddy Wallace, nor are Ireland as bereft of midfield options. But O’Driscoll, who turned 30 yesterday, remains a world-class defender, a classy, creative distributor and still, on the evidence of last October, an outstanding finisher if not quite the line-breaker of yore. O’Driscoll retains a massive presence on and off the pitch, and is a proven big-game player with a wealth of experience as both a captain and player, which is not worth sacrificing at this stage.

Aside from the captaincy, the other issues of primary concern for Kidney and his think tank are back-up prop to Marcus Horan and John Hayes now that Buckley is out of the reckoning and back-up outhalf. There is a window of opportunity for three of the seven uncapped players in the squad, namely Cian Healy, Mike Ross and Tom Court, with the latter’s ability to pack down on both sides giving him a real shot at Test rugby from relative obscurity when Matt Williams took over Ulster a year ago.

Paddy Wallace’s form, experience and ability to cover centre makes him the obvious choice as back-up to Ronan O’Gara but the question mark about his availability for the French game on Saturday fortnight pending neurological tests leaves Jonathan Sexton as the only viable alternative to O’Gara.

Bearing this in mind, it’s a surprise Ian Humprheys isn’t also included, given his greater frontline role of the last few months, but instead he too has to make do with a place in the A squad. It is the proximity of that game against the English Saxons on Friday fortnight, followed by an A game against the Scots a week later, which perhaps has prompted such a sizeable squad of 39, plus a further nine for the As, as opposed to the more streamlined numbers named by Wales (28), France and Italy (30 each), England (32) and Scotland (33).

Kidney is also mindful that the foreign-based players will most likely be returning to their clubs on the Wednesday of the first week. “We want to continue to develop a panel and bringing in 39 players allows to us to work with the players on this basis. As well as bringing the players through the systems of the team, it allows for the usual knocks the players might pick up.”

The senior squad for the France game and the squad for the A game will be announced tomorrow week and both teams will be announced on February 3rd.

Describing the Six Nations as “one of, if not the best annual international tournaments in the world and a great sporting occasion in Ireland,” Kidney added: “the France game is another step above that as they can bring so much to their game and are incredibly dangerous. The players’ focus for the first week will be to set the foundations for the tournament and after that, the only focus we will have will be on our opening game against France.”

Indeed, the entire Irish campaign could hinge on that pivotal opener against the French.

IRELAND A PANEL: Isaac Boss (Ulster), Seán Cronin (Connacht), Gavin Duffy (Connacht), Ian Humphreys (Ulster), Keith Matthews (Connacht), John Muldoon (Connacht), Seán O'Brien (Leinster), Neil Best (Northampton), John Andress (Exeter).

IRELAND SQUAD

FORWARDS

Rory Best (Ulster),

Ryan Caldwell (Ulster),

Bob Casey (London Irish),

Tom Court (Ulster),

Stephen Ferris (Ulster),

Jerry Flannery (Munster),

John Hayes (Munster),

Cian Healy (Leinster),

Jamie Heaslip (Leinster),

Marcus Horan (Munster),

Bernard Jackman (Leinster),

Shane Jennings (Leinster),

Denis Leamy (Munster),

Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster),

Paul O'Connell (Munster)

Mick O'Driscoll (Munster),

Malcolm O'Kelly (Leinster),

Alan Quinlan (Munster),

Mike Ross (Harlequins),

Donnacha Ryan (Munster),

David Wallace (Munster).

BACKS

Tommy Bowe (Ospreys),

Ian Dowling (Munster),

Girvan Dempsey (Leinster),

Darren Cave (Ulster),

Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster),

Keith Earls (Munster),

Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster),

Shane Horgan (Leinster),

Rob Kearney (Leinster),

Geordan Murphy (Leicester),

Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster),

Ronan O'Gara (Munster),

Tomas O'Leary (Munster),

Eoin Reddan (Wasps),

Jonathan Sexton (Leinster),

Peter Stringer (Munster),

Andrew Trimble (Ulster),

Paddy Wallace (Ulster).