Dave Kearney has moved into pole position to make Ireland's 31-man World Cup squad ahead of Andrew Trimble or Tommy Bowe. Providing, of course, the younger Kearney brother matches up to George North at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
But really Joe Schmidt continues to keep everyone guessing. “Some of the players playing with their province this weekend will likely be in the 31 and some of the players still with us are potentially going to miss out on the 31.”
Both Trimble, who just suffered a recurrence of a year-long foot injury, and Bowe will play for Ulster against Edinburgh tomorrow.
“Andrew played very well against Wales but it was his only 34 minutes in eight months so we wanted him to get more time,” said Schmidt.
“He’ll get somewhere between 40 and 60 minutes. On the bench for us it would have only been 20 minutes. It’s a better opportunity for him to demonstrate he is back to full fitness.”
Kearney looked sharp in his brief cameo against Scotland, busting the line, and another industrious, Schmidt-like, showing could see the 26 year old take the 14 jersey off Bowe.
The two-time Lions tourists could conceivably miss out entirely.
What we do know is most of the king’s guard - Johnny Sexton, Rob Kearney, Robbie Henshaw, Conor Murray, Jamie Heaslip, Peter O’Mahony and Paul O’Connell (all bar Rory Best and Sean O’Brien) - will be on the pitch come Saturday’s 2.30pm kick-off against a fully stocked Wales.
Granted, Warren Gatland’s captain Sam Warburton, pinched nerve in shoulder, is replaced by Justin Tipuric but that arguably strengthens the visiting backrow.
There are roughly 20,000, mostly too expensive at up to €75, stand tickets still available to buy for Saturday’s game.
The reliable Felix Jones gets the number 23 jersey, which he wore throughout the Six Nations, to renew pressure on Simon Zebo making the final cut. Zebo is not released for Munster against London Irish.
Jones was preferred to Zebo for the title winning game at Murrayfield last March when Luke Fitzgerald was promoted to left wing.
The coach also continues to investigate his outside centre options with Fitzgerald at 13. But, Schmidt stressed, this is only in the event of injury to Jared Payne.
Almost a year ago Brian O’Driscoll stated Henshaw was the man to replace him. Then Schmidt caught us all on the hop by running the young Athlone fullback at 12 instead of Gordon D’Arcy. That’s now Henshaw’s established position with Payne the incumbent 13.
However, Keith Earls impressed there in Cardiff so now it’s Fitzgerald’s chance. All is not lost for D’Arcy as the 35-year-old will tog out in Donnybrook tomorrow against Moseley. Fergus McFadden and Jack Conan are named on Leo Cullen’s bench.
Darren Cave has not been released to Ulster.
Eoin Reddan is on the bench but Isaac Boss could still make the cut as the third number nine, which would probably mean Cave and D’Arcy would be on stand-by.
Madigan has done some individual work at scrumhalf but that now seems an unlikely risk.
Dave Kilcoyne is named ahead of Michael Bent as cover for Jack McGrath so the whole prop versatility debate remains ongoing.
Schmidt did shed some like on this by noting Jack McGrath’s 22 minute cameo at tighthead against Argentina in June 2014.
“Jack McGrath is a guy who flipped over and survived at tighthead.
That was a fair few years ago against difficult customers. At the same time I don’t think we’d ask it of some of the more mature guys.”
Tadhg Furlong is named here behind Nathan White who makes his first start for Ireland.
Marty Moore had the moon boot off and was seen running at training this morning. One feels whoever understudies for Mike Ross really needs to feature against England at Twickenham on Saturday week.
Bent, the only panel member who can play both sides of the scrum, plays tighthead for Leinster against Moseley in Donnybrook on Friday night (7.30pm).
“Marty Moore or Tadhg Furlong might be able to swap over,” Schmidt continued. “Then there is a snug fit of having Michael Bent who plays both sides. I think he is having a hit out at tighthead tomorrow night which we’ll watch with interest. He’s had plenty of loosehead last year with Leinster.”
But, taking the 48 hour rule into consideration, Ireland can nominate McGrath or Kilcoyne as tightheads or Moore as a loosehead, which would leave Bent surplus to requirements.
It currently looks like Cian Healy is going to make it. Sources state the surgeon is almost content to sign off on his near unbelievable return from neck surgery, not long after hamstring surgery, not long after ankle surgery. But he won’t feature until Canada on September 19th.
Schmdit said: “Cian trained fully Tuesday and Thursday. Did all the contact. He’s a lot more positive where he can get to in the next one or two or three weeks. He’ll keep working...”
Could he feature against England next week?
“I wouldn’t rule out some involvement the way he is going. If he is involved it would most likely be off the bench. We may be looking to give him 20 minutes but we are also prepared to be patient.”
The plan is to announce the 31-man squad that will travel to the World Cup on Monday but the players will be told Sunday.
“I’d like to be able to do it sometime Sunday afternoon, evening maybe Monday morning. We are looking at potentially assembling for England midday Monday.”
News should leak over the weekend.
Ireland: Rob Kearney; Dave Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald, Robbie Henshaw, Keith Earls; Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Nathan White; Iain Henderson, Paul O'Connell (capt); Peter O'Mahony, Jordi Murphy, Jamie Heaslip. Replacements: Sean Cronin, Dave Kilcoyne, Tadhg Furlong, Donnacha Ryan, Sean O'Brien, Eoin Reddan, Paddy Jackson, Felix Jones.
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Scott Williams, Jamie Roberts, George North; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Gethin Jenkins, Ken Owens, Tomas Francis; Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones; Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau. Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Paul James, Aaron Jarvis, Luke Charteris, James King, Gareth Davies, Rhys Priestland, Hallam Amos.
