Ireland fail to look forward

Interim coach Michael Bradley has chosen damage liability over player development for the unforgiving tour of Australasia this summer.

The prolonged Eddie O’Sullivan era may be gone, but the stench of conservatism and predictably remains in the Irish national set up. The squad selection for the June tests in New Zealand and Australia indicate that no matter who is the coach, Ireland still can’t divorce themselves from the tried and trusted.

After Wales conquered Croke Park, O’Sullivan claimed the IRFU had pressured him into not developing a new squad just yet. The Union subsequently refuted those claims, and the beleaguered coach was derided in the National press for the remainder of his tenure. However, the latest squad announcement might just back up O’Sullivan’s testimony.

Many rugby writers have argued that touring the southern hemisphere is no place to blood young talent, and maybe they are right. But the likelihood is Ireland are going to be beaten despite the obvious problems circulating the NZRFU and ARU at the moment.

Sending out a team full of under 21s is not the option, but another summer tour will be wasted by the lack on initiative and experiment shown by the national team. Brian O’Driscoll, Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara should travel, as they are senior players, but the need to take the likes of Malcolm O’Kelly, Mick O’Driscoll, Girvan Dempsey, John Hayes and Peter Stringer still evades me.

All four men have been outstanding servants to Irish rugby, and whilst I am not advocating their retirement, resting them in the name of development would seem a logical step now. They have a combined 352 caps and average age of 32. Experience plentiful, but looking to the future Ireland are not.

Luke Fitzgerald should be employed at 13 as the Shane Horgan experiment simply never works. Cian Healy and Mike Ross should travel, although a particularly bruising summer would be guaranteed. In the second row, options to the established top four are required, and this is where the likes of Ryan Caldwell and Bob Casey enter the frame.

Casey is not an international novice, but he has been spent so long in the wilderness that he has a point to prove. He is captain of a London Irish side that has enjoyed one of its best seasons, and is a leading line out operator in the Premiership. The Ireland set piece wobbled during the 6 Nations, so Casey would inject some fresh ideas and leadership.

In the backrow, Stephen Ferris and Shane Jennings deserve a chance, whilst the omission of Tomas O’Leary for Peter Stringer doesn’t add up. The argument has been made that O’Leary would feature more in the Churchill Cup, but what’s wrong with at least an hour against Australia?

There is a compelling case for selecting the best that Ireland has to offer when you consider the problems in New Zealand at the moment. Player defections and uncertainty over the likes of Dan Carter and Jerry Collins means the All Blacks will be heading toward further uncertainty. An expectant public will want a backlash after the disastrous world cup, and Graham Henry will be scrutinised in everything he does.

Their players have also become accustomed to the Experimental Law Variations and must now go back playing rugby for a change. All these factors should suggest Ireland have a great chance of causing an upset, but the painful memories of our own world cup, and the equally damming 6 Nations, allied to the lack of new ideas and fresh approach, would seem to point towards another opportunity wasted.

The pressure is on Bradley and Co. to deliver, but even if they do, another golden opportunity will be wasted in Ireland’s phobia towards change.

My team for Ireland v New Zealand:

Healy; Flannery; Ross; Casey; O’Connell; Ferris; Jennings; Heaslip; Reddan; O’Gara; Bowe; O’Driscoll; Fitzgerald; Horgan; Kearney.

The likes of Ryan Caldwell, Tomas O’Leary, Jon Sexton and Ian Dowling would be in contention for a starting position versus Australia.