Ireland coach Joe Schmidt looks set to cap five new players against the US Eagles Saturday night (kick off 10pm Irish time) at what is nearing a sold-out Red Bull Arena.
With eleven bodies away on Lions duty in New Zealand, this was always going to be a risky venture. Especially considering Paddy Jackson does not join the squad until they arrive in Tokyo next week due to personal reasons.
That means the uncapped Rory Scannell switches to outhalf should Joey Carbery pull up or take a heavy blow.
Todd Clever’s US Eagles are fully intent on targeting the lightweight 21-year-old who is also charged with matching fellow Blackrock graduate AJ MacGinty in the place kicking stakes.
“First time I saw Rory play was at 10 for Dolphin against Belvedere when he got player of the day and played incredibly well,” Schmidt remembered fondly. “I know he has been playing 12, and has slotted in really well there, but he kicked incredibly well today which gives us a little more confidence.
“We thought of the John Cooney option as he has more recent experience of playing outhalf with Connacht in the Pro 12 but the luxury with Rory is he provides pretty good midfield cover for us.”
A clear and present risk described as a luxury; that’s how Schmidt does media relations.
“I think [Carbery] can play 10 really well,” Schmidt continued. “I think he’s quite a natural player – he’s played nine, he’s played 15.
“He has shown real versatility for us. It’s a real opposition for him to show he can start a game at 10 and run a game at 10 and we’d love to see him do that really well.”
Absence
Outgoing US coach John Mitchell is not without obstacles as Toulon backrow Samu Manoa, Cardiff wing Blaine Scully, Bristol centre Thretton Palamo and Saracens prop Titi Lamositele are all out injured.
Perhaps the absence of so many experienced Americans made it easier for Schmidt to name Jacob Stockdale on the wing – that and the Ulster man's form – with James Ryan, Andrew Porter, Dave Heffernan and Rory Scannell set to be capped off the bench.
Stockdale, Ryan and Porter were key figures as the Ireland under-20s reached the Junior World Cup final last year but Ryan has yet to feature for Leinster, due to a hamstring injury, while Porter only recently switched over to tighthead prop.
“Yeah, it is [taking a big leap] and it’s probably a reflection of how [Porter] has acquitted himself. The coaching staff get in and watch training as well. If you are coping in training with Jack McGrath and Cian Healy, the likes of those two, we are hopeful that will extend itself out into the match day coming up.
“I think he has been impressive, his willingness to learn is fantastic and he’s got the frame to cope. Is it a bit earlier than we would like? Probably is but there is the opportunity to get to know him and because we are long-term planning but we are working hard for short-term success at the same time.”
The highest compliment paid to Porter this week was Cian Healy expressing joy at his switch from loosehead to tight at the behest of Leinster scrum coach John Fogarty.
Edges out
Josh van der Flier edges out Dan Leavy at openside while Simon Zebo carried "soreness" into the week so Tiernan O'Halloran's late season form for Connacht is rewarded with a fourth Test cap at fullback. Zebo is on the bench.
Finally, Schmidt was asked how the US can hurt his young Irish side.
“It is [dangerous] in the context of what they have done against Canada in recent years and getting those Sevens players back. Nate Augspurger has been really good for them at scrumhalf and has played on the wing a bit.
“I thought AJ MacGinty was super for Connacht last year. He was one of the transformational team members that allowed them to do what they did.
“Once you got a hub like that, an axis at nine and ten like that you can immediately start to cause problems for people.”
IRELAND: T O'Halloran; K Earls, G Ringrose, L Marshall, J Stockdale; J Carbery, K Marmion; C Healy, N Scannell, John Ryan; Q Roux, D Toner; R Ruddock (capt), J van der Flier, J Conan. Replacements: D Heffernan, D Kilcoyne, A Porter, James Ryan, D Leavy, L McGrath, R Scannell, S Zebo.
