JOE SCHMIDT’S SELECTION throughout this Six Nations has been shaped by a ‘slightly different brief’, so it will be fascinating to see if his need to build the depth chart in certain positions will extend into the final weekend of the championship.
With Japan very much on his mind, Schmidt’s agenda has been twofold in recent weeks, the Ireland head coach making more alterations than usual from game-to-game, but also remaining cognisant of the importance of winning momentum.
O’Brien is hoping to be involved this weekend. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO
Five changes for Scotland, four for the trip to Rome and seven for last weekend’s victory over France in Dublin, supplemented to eight upon Rob Kearney’s late withdrawal, gives an insight into Schmidt’s forward-thinking.
It’s unlikely the Kiwi will look to alter too much heading into the final weekend of the championship given the much-improved performance in round four, but also the size of the task awaiting against Grand Slam-chasing Wales in Cardiff.
Rob Kearney and Joey Carbery will be given every opportunity to prove their fitness, the pair both taking part in a light training session at Carton House this afternoon, while Dan Leavy is back in Schmidt’s squad.
The Leinster flanker will provide Sean O’Brien with competition for the number seven jersey after Josh van der Flier was ruled out of selection with the groin injury that forced him off after just 23 minutes on Sunday.
While there is also the option to start with the back row unit of CJ Stander, Peter O’Mahony and Jack Conan that finished the victory over France, both O’Brien and Leavy are pushing hard to force Schmidt’s hand.
O’Brien, having fallen out of the selection picture last week following an off-colour showing against Italy, will be desperate to be involved again and show his enduring worth, whether it’s in a starting position or coming off the bench at the Principality Stadium.
Leavy, meanwhile, appears to have finally shaken off the calf issue which has kept him sidelined since January and the Leinster flanker will train fully later hoping to prove to Schmidt and the coaches he can be pitched straight back in.
Munster’s Tadhg Beirne is also an option, although more likely to be selected as a second row, as he pushes for involvement having missed the first three rounds with a knee injury, the 27-year-old potentially offering valuable insight into Wales given his hugely-successful two-year stint with the Scarlets.
There is also the potency Beirne brings at the breakdown and the turnover threat he provides, with Ireland joint last of the turnovers won [18] statistics alongside Italy this championship.
“Tadhg has been doing that [training well] every week he has been in camp, to be honest,” scrum coach Greg Feek said this afternoon. “He is a pretty driven young man and has a lot to offer. The lock position is getting pretty competitive at the moment.”
Greg Feek speaking at Carton House today. Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
As Sean Cronin continues to be absent due to what management describe as ‘squad building reasons’, that point was put to Feek in the context of giving Beirne valuable minutes in green ahead of the World Cup.
He replied: “It’s taken into account. We just have to deal with what’s in front of us at the moment and if he gets through today and gets his detail right, they’ve all got their hands up.
“He’s definitely available. There are some good headaches there. Last week he was a little bit stiff from the Ospreys game. I enjoy watching him train. You need someone who can test you with a bib on and he certainly does that.”
Schmidt, however, is unlikely to deter from his second row pairing of James Ryan and Iain Henderson after their respective performances against Les Bleus, while Beirne will find it hard to dislodge Ultan Dillane from the bench given the Connacht man’s impact in recent weeks.