Ireland are facing in to, potentially, the biggest six weeks in Irish Rugby history.
Joe Schmidt has selected his squad to face Canada, at the Millennium Stadium, on Saturday [2:30pm kick-off].
There is more on the 23-man matchday squad here, but the headline news is Iain Henderson and Luke Fitzgerald are in, while Devin Toner and Tommy Bowe miss out.
Here is the current state of the nation…
Form
Schmidt is keeping true to his word here.
Players that have not hit the ground running will now watch the opener from the sidelines.
Specifically, that is Bowe and Toner.
For world-class operators, Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray and Paul O’Connell, there is leeway. As Ronan O’Gara would say, there is plenty of money in the bank there.
A host of Irish fans got their wish when Henderson’s name was called out. Toner’s form, over the past two years, has been pivotal for Ireland and our mauling, lineouts and ruck-clearing have all improved with him in the team.
Toner’s deficiencies are the odd missed tackle [37.5% missed against England a fortnight ago] and the fact that he does not get over the gainline. Henderson does that in spades.
While it is almost rudimentary to point to Henderson’s try against Wales, in August, it shows exactly what he is capable of.
Injuries
Joe Schmidt is “quietly confident” that Robbie Henshaw’s tweaked hamstring will be in good nick to take on Romania next weekend.
He said, ‘We got it scanned, there’s a little bit of blood there. He’s okay to walk and jog around, but he does feel that tightness when he’s accelerating and therefore it would be a real risk to push him ahead.’
Cian Healy has been declared fit to play but, wisely, Schmidt has placed him on the bench.
Rob Kearney and Conor Murray were passed fit earlier in the week and feature in the backline.
There is talk of Rory Best nursing a neck injury but that is a long-term niggle and has not prevented him from lining out in two warm-up Tests, and at the Millennium Stadium. Mike Ross stays tight with him in scrums, leaving Jack McGrath to hold up his end. Expect to see similar tactics.
Player to watch
It has to be Luke Fitzgerald. A player who wants to play 13 but was told to focus on 11 ends up playing 12.
Schmidt’s selection is about as left-field as one can get, until you figure that he discarded Gordon D’Arcy, has already turned two fullbacks into centres and has had two months of working closely with the players.
Fitzgerald has been on the international scene since he was 19-years-old [he made his debut in 2006] and was selected for the 2009 Lions Tour, where he played a midweek game at inside centre.
He was that good as a young player. Three serious injuries – two knee, one neck – have blighted his mid twenties but he is a creative spark; an offloader; a facilitator.
Can he break tackles and clear out rucks like D’Arcy of yore? Watch this World Cup space.
What Ireland need
A comfortable, winning start.
Canada pushed us close in 2013 but we were shorn of our British & Irish Lions contingent.
The Canadians are a mix of European-based pros, Sevens players and committed amateurs. They should be no match for the reigning Six Nations champions.
Certain players – Sexton, Murray and Peter O’Mahony – need to play themselves into form while 30 unfettered minutes off the bench for Healy would be very much welcome.
Irish supporters would love to see the team open up on the Canucks.
Twice this year – Scotland (Six Nations) and Wales (warm-ups) – Ireland have given glimpses of a running game that Schmidt’s Leinster were synonymous for. The rest of the time, they relied on aerial bombardment, solid set-pieces and that devastating rolling maul.
Brian O’Driscoll says Schmidt told his Leinster players they first needed to prove to him that they were capable of an expansive game on the training pitch before they could try it on the playing fields.
One hopes that all the talk of players flying it in training are not smoke and mirrors for a war of attrition.
What they say
“Dave Kearney was exceptional for us two years ago [in the 2014 Six Nations]… he deserves his opportunity. Iain Henderson likewise, he has played very well.”
– Joe Schmidt
What the Canadians say
“All the waiting is over. It’s go time. The guys have put in a heck of a lot of work – especially over the last two and a half months. The proof is in the pudding and we’ll see on Saturday… It’s going to be a full-house; 76,000 crazy fans and a lot of them Irish.
“They’re the European champions. We’re massive underdogs. Sometimes we like that and I think our lads will respond.”
– Gareth Rees, Canada Team Manager
Pic of the week
Irish lads and scaffolds – they love ’em.
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