They should be with Mike Ruddock’s Ireland under-20s at the World Championships in France but instead Stuart Olding and Robbie Henshaw are primed to win their first caps against the USA at BBVA Compass stadium on Saturday evening.
Henshaw doesn’t turn 20 until next week but the Athlone teenager showcased the full package when nailing down the Connacht fullback slot this season, even when Gavin Duffy was fit, while Olding leap-frogged a respectable inside centre queue in Ulster.
Granted, he was assisted by injury to Paddy Wallace and Luke Marshall’s repetitive concussions, while Gordon D’Arcy is also on ice for the summer, but the Belfast boy has excelled when presented an opportunity in the Rabo Pro12.
Also, neither young man appears to be a physical liability. Henshaw’s official statistics have him at six-foot-one inch and 92 kilograms. He looks far more imposing up close.
Of course, Les Kiss also has proven options in Munster duo Felix Jones and James Downey but, clearly, Henshaw and Olding were pulled from the under-20s because it was felt they are good enough for Test match rugby.
It also seems likely the pair will be taking their cues from Ian Madigan. Kiss has stated that Paddy Jackson and Madigan will both get game time at outhalf against USA and Canada but the Blackrock outhalf-cum-fullback-cum-centre has been in sensational form all season, be it off the kicking tee or co-ordinating Leinster's attack in Jonathan Sexton's injury enforced absence.
Recovered well
Jackson, in fairness, admirably recovered from well documented struggles when trust under the spotlight by finishing Ulster's campaign with some impressive displays, particularly the Pro12 final in Dublin.
But Madigan has been the outstanding Irish player this year. Take the Glasgow match at the RDS on March 23rd when he single-handedly beat the league leaders.
At a crucial moment, with Leinster trailing, he chipped out of his in-goal area, a risky move that threatened to back fire until he regathered and offloaded in traffic. Another sensational 60-metre break took Leinster into the scoring zone before a brilliant sleight of hand saw him dance over untouched for the winning try. It finished Madigan 22, Glasgow 17. “I thought his kicking was first rate,” said Joe Schmidt that night.
Incidentally, Schmidt lands in Houston tomorrow. Saturday would be Madigan’s first start after two caps off the bench during the Six Nations, at centre and remarkably scrumhalf, while Munster prop Dave Kilcoyne and Iain Henderson are also in line to make their first run outs in a green jersey having already amassed six and five caps this season.
Henderson, along with Olding and Kieran Marmion, played a Herculean role in defeat of the Springbok under-20s this time last year from secondrow but his immediate future appears to be blindside flanker.
Presuming the 21-year-old holds off Leinster’s always consistent Kevin McLaughlin, he will face Northampton’s gargantuan blindside Samu Manoa.
US coach Mike Tolkin can field a massive backrow with the 6ft 7in, 19st Manoa joined by Japanese-based captain Todd Clever while Biarritz lock Scott LaValla will play openside.
That means the highly motivated Cork-born flanker Johnny Quill will arrive as the humidity takes hold of the Irish players.
Quill played AIL for Dolphin a few months ago and is currently in talks with a number of English Premiership clubs. He was in the Munster sub academy, a year behind Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony, having been spotted in the youth ranks with Youghal RFC.
O’Mahony will play number eight with Chris Henry making up Ireland’s backrow.
America are not without their problems, especially at outside centre as injuries to Paul Emerick and Troy Hall means either Seamus Kelly or Adam Siddall will wear 13.
Siddall's place-kicking abilities should get him into the team although the Auckland native is more of a counter-attacking fullback. That berth, however, still belongs to Saracens Chris Wyles.
Powerful Samoan
Tolkin also has the option of the powerful Samoan inside centre Andrew Suniula to test the Madigan-Olding defensive channel.
That, of course, is presuming the US gain some parity at set piece where Mike Ross and Devin Toner will be intent on causing havoc.
Toner, in line for only his second start, the last coming against Samoa in 2010, and at 26 is intent on becoming an established internationally respected lineout operator.
There are other selection conundrums for Kiss. Fergus McFadden should shade Andrew Trimble for the right wing, with Trimble perhaps holding off Felix Jones for the bench as Simon Zebo can cover fullback.
Scrumhalf is a tough call but Isaac Boss’s form since Eoin Reddan broke his leg also demands inclusion with Marmion’s greater exposure this season possibly enough to keep Paul Marshall out of the 23.
All will be revealed late tonight.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
USA: C Wyles; L Hume, S Kelly/A Siddall, A Suniula/A Siddall, T Ngwenya; T L'Estrange, M Petri; S Pittman, C Biller, E Fry; B Doyle, L Stanfill; S Manoa, S Lavalla, T Clever (capt).
IRELAND: R Henshaw; F McFadden, D Cave, S Olding, S Zebo; I Madigan, I Boss; D Kilcoyne, R Strauss, M Ross; M McCarthy, D Toner; I Henderson, C Henry, P O'Mahony (capt).
