Ireland boss Declan Kidney has admitted he would not hesitate to recall veteran fly-half Ronan O'Gara to face France.
The number 10 spot was not confirmed during Tuesday's team announcement, with Jonathan Sexton ruled out through injury and Paddy Jackson, who started in the defeat to Scotland, currently nursing a hamstring strain.
Jackson is expected to be fit for Saturday's game, but if not Ireland could turn to uncapped Leinster fly-half Ian Madigan, or O'Gara.
"Absolutely not would I mind asking Ronan back, I'd be delighted. There was no fun whatsoever in leaving him out," said Kidney.
"I'd only be too delighted. It wouldn't be an awkward conversation from my side, absolutely not.
"I'm sure he'd love to play for Ireland, he's always loved playing for Ireland and he'd continue to do that.
"Ronan will have been disappointed. You don't give the type of service that Ronan has given and not be disappointed.
"It's the role of the coach to make these calls and I felt Ian had been going well and deserved his chance.
"But it's unfair to put Ronan in that spotlight. Everybody is centrally contracted, so everyone is available to play for Ireland at any stage.
"We have 20 guys on standby. We'd call someone in when need be. Everyone is alerted."
Comments
rugbyjarhead says...
@irish - nothing against munster men but not making the cut right now and with the exception of ryan and maybe zebo not too many are cutting it. Dont really care much for provincial rivalry. 4 teams there to make national team best it can be. Also ross is a good th but we need options and i feel bent could be ready for 2015 if given enough international exp.
@99- 2 and 3 were tough calls but ireland play better at tempo. Felt those option were more dynamic. Best and ross will do a good job but in the case of ross we need a bit more around the park. Modern day th needs to be a smidge more mobile. No doubt the better scrummager but need more. Ryan only misses out cause i felt we need more beef in the engine room. But was a tight call.
The 8 issue is a none issue i think. Ferris gives us lineout option and so does henry. Sob carrying, work rate and aggression keeps him there. Heaslip slows down at contact and goes in too high lot of the time.
Posted 23:31 07th March 2013
99call says...
rugbyjarhead
Good side but I would disagree with your 2 and 3, Best is the better hooker and Bent has shown that maybe he wasnt the great saviour at tighthead that we all hoped he was but hes young and will develop. Ryan is far better than McCarthy but you're right with Tuohy, the backline is pretty much spot on Id be more than happy to see that and I think we will see Bowe at 13 next year.
The real issue that I cant get away from is OBrien at 8, its been tried at Leinster and it failed, hes not an 8, some 6s can move into 8 but its a very different position with different expectations and the main point is that Sean is not a lineout jumper so youre loosing one of your main target men at lineout time.
The unfortunate thing is that Roger Wilson is past his best now as if he was 3 or 4 years younger he'd be pushing Heaslip onto the bench at the moment, Robbie Diack is developing well but I dont think he'll ever really make it at the top level, we may have to wait for the likes of Paddy Butler at Munster to develop before we see a real challenge to Heaslip for the 8 shirt, the other option is to look at Henderson at 8 hes a greeat carrier and lineout jumper we'd just need to coach him in the finer arts of 8 play
Anyway your side is still pretty good and wouldnt be at all disappointed if it took the field next year
Posted 09:19 07th March 2013
irishzimbabwean says...
rugbyjarhead - I see you only have one Munster player in next year's team! I actually like your team - but wouldn't write off Mike Ross. He is our cornerstone until at least the next World Cup.
Gleek - I reckon we bring Ollie back at Number 10, with Wardy on the bench. Then give Jack Kyle a ring to see if he still has boots in good shape!
Posted 05:26 07th March 2013
rugbyjarhead says...
My irish team for next year campaign (this one is a bust)
1. Healy
2. Strauss
3. Bent
4.Touhy
5. McCarthy
6. Ferris
7. Henry
8. O'Brien (C)
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Fitzgerald
12. Marshal
13. Bowe
14. Gilroy
15. Kearney
16. Best
17. Ross
18. Kilcoyne
19. Marshal (SH)
20. Madigan (Covers 10 and 15)
21. Trimble (Covers 11 and 12)
22. O'Mahony ( Covers second row and back row)
Posted 02:39 07th March 2013
DrDeath says...
Sort of highlights the lie that Irish teams had fewer injuries due to soft Rabo fixtures giving them an advantage in 6N & HEC matches!
Simply an illustration that when the best teams get their best players out they do better than when they don't-everyone has good luck & bad luck, those with biggest player pools (French-clubs & country, England NZ) can cover better than others!!
Posted 20:12 06th March 2013
mcdb06 says...
@ gleek
Well said
Posted 20:07 06th March 2013
JamieTheProp says...
Welcome to knowing what it was like to be an England fan 2004-2011! Not so funny now is it!
Posted 19:48 06th March 2013
liam2me says...
Downey was only made to look good because he was playing in the snoozership, which is obviously a much lower standard. Those calling for him to be selected for Ireland obviously haven't seen him in the HEC or Rabo
Posted 18:56 06th March 2013
melkdave says...
I agree that G.Steenson,is the inform irish FH atm,but he wont get a call up,as his playing in England,same goes for R.Caldwell,whos most probily better than D.Tuhoy and D.Ryan atm,as far as form is considered.Ireland for years have had a very short sigted policy when itcomes to players overseas.I can even see J.Sexton,not being selected,after his move to France.Or just maybe the IRFU will change its mind,myself i dont see that happening truth be told.
Posted 18:32 06th March 2013
LIONSMAN says...
Sexton on Fire we don't need those childish comments.I presume you will be following Stade Francais next year.
If Jackson is out its either Rog or Keatley and I don't think Keatley is up to it yet but maybe he will get there when he is no1 for Munster but I suspect Hanrahan will have something to say about that!
Posted 16:51 06th March 2013
Dai_irish says...
best 10 on form .... Gareth Steenson. he should start
Posted 16:47 06th March 2013
Dai_irish says...
best 10 on form Gareth Steenson
Posted 16:41 06th March 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
@gleek - exactly what I was about to say
Posted 16:18 06th March 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
Hi 99call,
The IRFU would have had a say in the selection of english based players like Downey at Northampton, but I can see your point of view.
The thing is that Ireland were / are are Northern Hemisphere power right now, who can beat any of the other NH teams so the idea to create that rugby club familiarity and bring home silverware isn't a bad one. Woodward and White did it.
There's two schools of thought concerning woodward because you could name 18 players of out any 22 from 2000 to 2003 they were great but as you say it taken England the best part of ten years to rebuild and the process still isn't complete.
We do have a rugby world cup title though.
I think your argument that Kidney's timing is off is a fair one, and thats what is wrong. RWC 2011 was a BIG chance. I still think they were better than Wales man for man.
I'm not going to predict a irish nose dive. I think this is a blip. They kicked ass in November. forget the oponents and look at their performance. They were slick. Just compare the Ireland Fiji game to the England Fiji game. Ireland were polished and lethal, England were like a puppy savaging a field mouse and they got shown up when Aus came to town a week later.
Posted 15:23 06th March 2013
gleek says...
The thing is is that if Jackson is ruled out, then O'Gara is the next best option to take the 21 shirt (understands the game plan, has a relationship with Scrum half, ect).
Why drop him at all if there was any chance that he would be needed - how many people would have raised an eyebrow if the extended Ireland squad had one extra player? Not one of Kidney's biggest detractors on this site but with the last 12 months being what they are it is one gaff that could have been avoided.
Posted 14:24 06th March 2013
99call says...
rugby_rockstar
Totally agree that the injuries have made DKs job very difficult but what is has actually shown is that he had no succession plan for any of the golden generation and that he has made selections based on what is going on in his head and past performances rather than on who is playing the best rugby.
So if the injuries have made it hard for him then hes brought it on himself, hes continually picked the same team whether they were playing well or not which included some players who were clearly not up to it, Im not saying he should have changed the team for the sake of it to develop players but surely when Darcys form dropped he should have been looking at the likes of Downey who was playing at his peak for the Saints rather then after he came back to ireland as a spent force.
It took him too long to get Sexton in as a starter which many have argued is why we lost the RWC Q-final, he tried to play Munster rugby with a leinster backline that was ineffective in that style but could cut the best in Europe open when they played their own style.
He chose a captain that i thought was an OK decision in the first place but has probably divided the team and has now shown Heaslip has no leadership skills when under pressure.
So the injuries have made his life hard but they have shown the weaknesses in his management so as much as it pains me to watch my team fall on its face the injuries may have done us all a favour
Posted 13:13 06th March 2013
highschool says...
We need a "Kidney transplant" asap! From 2011 World Cup we needed to bring on new players including no.10s and what happens??? Sexton injured and we have 2 uncapped players thrown in. Kidney has lost the team, Heaslip has no idea what he is doing, the Irish fans have given up on Ireland at this stage, 40mins of rugby followed by muck. If the man has any pride at all WALK AWAY!
Posted 12:26 06th March 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
Let's face it folks, Kidney has had a tough job to do this Six Nations. All these injuries have made it a total 'mare.
Posted 12:09 06th March 2013
sextons_on_fire says...
PISS OFF ROG hahahahaha
Posted 11:57 06th March 2013
99call says...
I get the feeling DK would like to have that conversation
Posted 11:44 06th March 2013