When Ireland take to the pitch to face Wales, our World Cup opener will be three short weeks away.
Joe Schmidt will have to submit his 31-man squad to World Rugby after his team play Warren Gatland’s men at the Aviva Stadium.
The squad itself does not have to be revealed to the public for almost a week afterward but the IRFU may seek to get that distraction out of the way before they face England, at Twickenham on September 5. We will, most likely, see it on Monday morning, August 31.
Schmidt will have a very clear idea of the squad he wants to bring to England [and Wales], but injuries are clouding matters.
Cian Healy is being monitored on ‘an hourly basis’, Marty Moore was still hobbling around in a protective boot, until recently, and Andrew Trimble needs to dispel the fresh doubts about his niggling foot injury. The winger will get a run-out with Ulster this weekend – as will Tommy Bowe.
Saturday will also be the first time Irish fans see Conor Murray, Johnny Sexton and Peter O’Mahony in the Guinness Series of warm-up matches.
The SportsJOE rosary beads will be out for that trio as they are unfurled from their cotton wool.
The Wales game represents the last chance for Ireland’s World Cup hopefuls to convince Schmidt they can inspire the team to their greatest tournament yet.
Up front
One can imagine that Healy will be named in the squad, with Jack McGrath facing Canada before his senior colleague uses Romania to get up to speed for greater Tests – Italy and France.
That is the plan but life doesn’t often work out that way, especially after shoulder surgery.
This game will be another chance for McGrath and Munster’s Dave Kilcoyne to get minutes under their belt and familiarised with Schmidt’s game-plan.
Over the other side, Mike Ross continues to put his hand up for selection but we need to see more from Nathan White and Michael Bent over the next two games. White starts against Wales while Bent is getting a run-out for Leinster, against Moseley.
Goal-kickers
Paddy Jackson will get another opportunity, off the bench, and he needs to have a cracker.
The Ulster outhalf did everything the Irish coaching staff told him, in Cardiff, except put away his shots at goal.
It is not easy being in Johnny Sexton’s shadow but Jackson has been around for four years now and it is time to quieten the doubters.
Ian Madigan’s performance against Scotland has nudged him ahead of the 23-year-old.
Ireland could easily select just two out-halves – with injury reserves allowed once they do not play within 72 hours – so Jackson needs to be at his best.
Wingers
This is the biggest head-scratcher in the whole selection process.
Many pundits assume that, with Tommy Bowe and a fit Andrew Trimble certainties, there will be six players – Keith Earls, Simon Zebo, Dave Kearney, Felix Jones, Fergus McFadden and Luke Fitzgerald – battling it out for two spots. Three at most.
Earls was electric, if erratic, against Wales, Zebo proved he could cover fullback against Scotland and both Fitzgerald and Kearney did well in the second half [the latter off the bench] against Vern Cotter’s side.
Jones scored a nice try against Wales but Zebo may have edged him out while reliable, versatile McFadden’s chances are bleak.
They face a Welsh side that love nothing better than hunting, and turning over, backs so the chosen ones will have to be tuned in from the start.
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