Guys putting hands up all over the park.
Dave Kearney. Keith Earls. Tommy Bowe. Simon Zebo. Luke Fitzgerald. Rob Kearney.
Six into three will not go.
Joe Schmidt’s men are two-from-two and, Monday’s injury update aside, appear to have all 31 men fighting fit and ready to face the Azzurri next Sunday.
Two games in and Schmidt must be no closer to settling on his back three for the first of what could be five crucial games, one weekend after the next.
Following Ireland’s 44-10 win over Romania, Zebo said, “Everybody is pushing each other hard for that starting berth… It’s great for us as a collective.”
“There’ll be no sucking up [to Joe],” he added with a grin.
Only Dave Kearney and Fitzgerald sat out today. They will not be a single, tiny bit happy about that.
Starting with the 15 jersey – Zebo excelled at Wembley. He was Ireland’s best player and showed he could tee others up for tries rather than do what wingers do best – back yourself to the hilt, fair or foul.
Rob Kearney limped off in the closing stages and would be a gigantic loss were he ruled out of the Italy game. However, Zebo would be confident of doing a job and, after today, the Irish fans would back him to shine.
It would certainly make Schmidt’s selection job simpler. Picking two wingers to start next Sunday will be a head-wrecker.
Before the game, one would have nailed Dave Kearney down for the right wing.
Kearney was in form, the man who had proved his mettle in the warm-ups and the guy that took it to Canada last week. Bowe had a lot to do to get back in the picture.
Bowe, following his dominant aerial display and try-scoring brace, can walk taller in the team hotel tonight.
Over on the left, Earls should be in the box-seat.
He scored two tries of his own and his offload for Zebo’s non-try was as good as anything Brian O’Driscoll ever produced in his 17-season pomp.
This type of tackle technique, below, is Earls’ downfall. As electric and clinical he is in attack, he always has a defensive mistake in him.
Schmidt will weigh up Earls pros and cons in the coming days.
The fall-back options are handy enough lads. Zebo, who we have already mentioned, and Fitzgerald – a player he trusts wherever he can wedge him in across his backline.
While the pack and half-backs are virtually picking themselves for the Italy game – despite great games for Cian Healy and Devin Toner – Schmidt also needs to sort out his midfield.
Jared Payne was solid in defence again but, for the second week running, he was beset by an odd kicking notion.
Interestingly, Darren Cave came into the game in the final 20 when Payne was withdrawn and he switched to outside centre. That may be because the Romanians were starting to flag and gaps were opening up.
Choosing someone for 13 may well rest on whether Robbie Henshaw is fit to start at 12.
If he is, Schmidt may go with Henshaw-Payne as they are the settled pairing.
If not, we may see an entirely new midfield partnership.
Cave & Payne. Fitzgerald & Payne. Fitzgerald & Cave. Fitzgerald & Earls. Cave & Earls…
Head wrecked all over again.
