RUGBY: AUTUMN INTERNATIONALSTHE UPCOMING November internationals will provide a glimpse into the future. The continuing doubt about Paul O'Connell's back injury makes it a distinct possibility that none of the longest-serving members of Ireland's leadership group will take the field against the Springboks on November 10th.
Brian O’Driscoll (ankle) and Rory Best (neck) were crocked last weekend and while Ronan O’Gara returns from a pulled hamstring for Munster in Cardiff tonight, the 35-year-old has not been the starting Irish outhalf since last year’s World Cup.
Rob Kearney would have been an obvious contender to take the captaincy but he just underwent back surgery. Add in Seán O’Brien’s name and it’s surely the cruellest injury list Irish rugby has encountered in the professional era.
The last two European players of the year and the last two Lions captains.
Gone.
And there’s more. Fergus McFadden has been unable to train due to stitches in his ear while Cian Healy worryingly took his damaged shoulder to a specialist yesterday.
We are clearly witnessing a changing of the guard and while nobody expected this rate of acceleration Declan Kidney has been transitioning the leadership group for almost 12 months.
“I knew that was always going to come around so I knew it would be wrong to wait for it to happen,” said Kidney. “There is a crop of players there, I am not going to identify them, but it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to work out who they are.
“They have been around for quite a bit. About half a dozen, eight fellas we are working on and bringing them through.”
We know Jonathan Sexton and Donnacha Ryan are recent additions to the inner sanctum, with Ulster lock Dan Tuohy confirming as much. “They are looking at a more senior role than they were possibly used to,” he said.
Gordon D’Arcy put himself in that bracket yesterday: “You go through being a young fella challenging the status quo and you suddenly turn around and you are the status quo and everybody is a lot younger than you.”
Jamie Heaslip is unbeaten as Leinster captain when filling-in for Leo Cullen these past few years and is on record as saying he wants the responsibility, while Peter O’Mahony could easily become the next Ireland captain if O’Connell doesn’t make it. The former Pres Cork backrower ticks a lot of boxes having already led Ireland through the underage grades and Munster this season.
Kidney smiled when asked if a new captain needed to have previous experience in the role (O’Driscoll came in cold in 2002)? “Not necessarily, no.” He also confirmed his mind was made up.
Of course, O’Connell may yet recover to lead the team against South Africa but he couldn’t train yesterday. It must also be noted the 33-year-old has come back from two serious (groin and knee) injuries since 2010.
“If it was a cup final he could have trained,” said Kidney. “It is just prudence this week to try and get rid of it.” The exact nature of the injury was not revealed.
O’Driscoll, O’Connell, Best, O’Gara and Kearney could all return by the Six Nations but a new leadership group is still required for the 2015 World Cup in England.
“What I learnt a long time ago is it doesn’t stand still,” Kidney continued. “You have to keep bringing guys through.
“You do lose experience without a shadow of a doubt. There is a considerable amount of intellectual knowledge that isn’t available to us anymore, for one reason or another, but there are new players coming in and bringing their excitement to it. There are half a dozen new guys in camp for the first time. That brings its own excitement.”
The drop in “intellectual knowledge” could also refer to Geordan Murphy and Shane Jennings.
Kidney’s poker face came up thereafter. He flooded the centre, fullback and tighthead positions with every conceivable candidate. At one point we expected the list to extend into the AIL or provincial academies. He named six possible fullbacks to replace Kearny, including Connacht teenager Robbie Henshaw.
There were, in fairness, a few clues. Denis Hurley’s call-up was a head scratcher as Felix Jones is clearly above him in the Munster pecking order.
But there is history of Kidney dropping Hurley into a team from nowhere, going back to 2008 when Shaun Payne lost out for the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup.
There is hope for the injury-prone Jones, providing he shows well tonight in just his second start of the campaign, as Kidney confirmed the team will not necessarily be selected from the current training squad.
With Declan Fitzpatrick concussed it seemed certain that Taranaki’s Michael Bent (he of the Rathmines granny) would sit on the bench as Mike Ross’ understudy on Saturday week.
“He (Bent) joined in the training fully today for the first time. It is great that we have someone match fit.”
But then Kidney flung another curve ball by reopening the tighthead door for Sale’s Tony Buckley or John Andress, the 28-year-old Belfast-born prop, currently with the Worcester Warriors.
“Due to [IRB] regulation nine they couldn’t come into us this week but if they come in next week we would have to make a decision by Tuesday. I would have to decide they can pick up everything they are doing within two days otherwise we would have to release them as that’s the deal with the Premiership.”
Four years ago the Irish head coach began the job in the same position he currently finds himself; scrambling to remain in the top eight of the world rankings.
Can he do anything different now? “No, you just back yourself. Different team, different time, similar circumstances but, no, you just back yourself and you back the players. Just give them full reign to go out and express themselves and enjoy themselves.
“Because if you don’t enjoy yourself you won’t play to the best of your ability. I always believe if we play to the best of our ability we are a match for anybody.”
Due to mass upheaval in camp Ireland, how good they actually are when playing to the best of their ability is unknown.
NEXT IRELAND CAPTAIN?: The candidates . . .
Peter O'Mahony(Munster)
Age: 23
Position: Backrow
Caps: 7
Groomed for the role having captained Ireland schools, under-20s and Munster.
The major barrier for the Cork man is nailing down a backrow slot, although the absence of Sean O'Brien and overlooked Shane Jennings makes openside flanker a straight fight with Chris Henry.
Jonathan Sexton(Leinster)
Age: 27
Position: Outhalf
Caps: 32
He calls most of the plays anyway, the new chairman of Irupa may not be burdened with the captaincy as he is already the place kicker and Kidney may see that as enough responsibility. Not that Sexton would turn it down.
A natural leader.
Jamie Heaslip(Leinster)
Age: 28
Position: Number eight
Caps: 50
Impressive winning record as stand-in Leinster captain. Undoubtedly a leader by example and has said in the past that he wants to be Ireland captain.
Nailed on starter gives him an edge over O'Mahony.
Donnacha Ryan(Munster)
Age: 28
Position: Lock
Caps: 21
Already taking on increased leadership role and runs the lineout in O'Connell's absence. More an outside bet for captain, but the man from Tipperary hurling stock has a belligerence that makes him an increasingly valuable member of the squad.
