BOTH DECLAN Kidney and Marc Lievrement took steps back in time yesterday in rekindling partnerships that helped deliver under-age World Cups under their stewardship. In perhaps the most eye-catching of his selections, Kidney has decided to partner Paddy Wallace in midfield with Brian O’Driscoll, reviving memories of their 10-12 axis when Ireland beat their French hosts in the final of the under-19 World Cup in 1998.
For his part, Lievrement has restored the half-back partnership which he coached to the under-19 World Cup win in France three years ago, namely Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Lionel Beauxis. The difference is that the French coach clearly has one eye on the 2011 World Cup in re-uniting yet another untried half-back combination at full Test level, whereas Wallace partnered O’Driscoll in both summer Tests in Australia and New Zealand.
Wallace was particularly impressive on that horrible night in Wellington, when not only stopping Ma’a Nonu in his tracks but conceiving and scoring Ireland’s only try. His presence enhances a highly varied Irish kicking game and provides a foil for Ronan O’Gara, whose huge load in the Irish number 10 jersey has sometimes looked to weigh a little heavily upon him.
“He’s shown a lot of consistent form and he dovetails well with Ronan on the inside and Brian on the outside,” said Kidney of Wallace, for whom this will be a sixth Test start and third at centre. “He’s played 10 before so it will be like having two five-eights. Paddy has a good temperament and I like the way he can bring that to the game, and he’d have a feel for what an outhalf is going through and taking the pressure off him.”
The net effect of rewarding Wallace’s fine form and much improved defence under Matt Williams with Ulster is that it compressed the number of places in the outside three from a veritable galaxy of galacticos. In the event, Kidney has opted for Luke Fitzgerald and Tommy Bowe on the wings, with Rob Kearney at full-back ahead of Geordan Murphy.
A common theme, according to Kidney, was not only picking players in form but also in their current positions. Quite novel alright, and the hope is that Wallace’s distribution will be employed to maximise the gamebreaking talent out wide.
In another sign of the changing times, between them the excluded Girvan Dempsey and Shane Horgan, along with the replacement trio of Murphy, Gordon D’Arcy and Peter Stringer, have 327 caps to their names. And Kidney conceded that Keith Earls – who has an outside chance of coming under consideration for the game in Rome on Sunday week – would have been in the mix but for the severity of the dead leg he suffered with Munster in Montauban.
Elsewhere, Jerry Flannery and Jamie Heaslip won tight calls over Rory Best and Denis Leamy in the pack. John Hayes’ selection is worthy of special mention, as it constitutes his 90th Test for Ireland and also his 45th in the championship in succession since making his debut in the 44-22 win over Scotland at Lansdowne Road in 2000.
“Everybody says tight-head is the cornerstone and I think no one more so than John,” said Kidney. “To have amassed 90 caps is a phenomenal record and a testament to his professionalism and the way he has gone about it. I suppose if I was to really say what I think of John we’d be here for another 20 minutes,” added Kidney, which also would have been out of character for the coach, “and he wouldn’t thank me for it. I’m hoping it will go well for him and knowing John all he’ll want is to get a result from this one. That’ll be the best way he’ll remember it.”
Were Hayes to play in all five games, the remarkably durable 35-year-old will overtake Fabien Pelous’ all-time landmark of 48 appearances in the championship. As expected, the late-developing, 28-year-old Australian-born Tom Court – who only played his first game of rugby union less than five years ago – continues his whirlwind ascent to the Test game as the only uncapped player in the 22.
But with Best, Malcolm O’Kelly and Leamy joining the equally illustrious names amongst the replacements, the bench is bristling with experience (333 caps between them) and potential impact.
The likes of Dempsey, Horgan and Alan Quinlan have been excused A duty against the Saxons on Friday night in a starting selection featuring nine uncapped players.
Wallace also doubles up as cover for Ronan O’Gara at out-half, but at least Ireland has a recognised back-up outhalf and goalkicker, which is more than Lievrement has bargained for. If Beauxisis injured the indications are that Yannick Jauzion will switch from his long-established position of centre – which makes the omission of Jean-Baptiste Elissalde all the more unfathomable.
Beauxis returns in place of the injured David Skrela, while the other three changes in personnel from the team beaten by Australia in November see Bernard Lecouls replace Nicolas Mas with recalls for the in-form Toulouse pair of Florian Fritz and Clement Poitrenaud, at centre and fullback, in place of Benoit Baby and Cedric Heymans, who drop to the bench.
“Clement is a player in form that we want to see again at this level,” Lievremont said.
Imanol Harinordoquy’s inclusion at number eight looks in part like providing a lineout option given the selection of Sebastien Chabal alongside captain Lionel Nallet in a partnership that ought not to strike fear into Donncha O’Callaghan and Paul O’Connell.
As for the lack of a back-up, recognised goalkicker Lievrement vowed: “We want to win by scoring tries. We want to attack and we are going to Croke Park looking for the win with a team that is sure of itself and what it is putting in place.”
Them’s fighting words, but Ireland oughtn’t to be fearful.
