ON SATURDAY, JOHANN Van Graan was at pains to point out that he does not dictate to Joe Schmidt how the international squad ought to be picked.
But his opinion yesterday that Conor Murray is ‘a bit off’ being ready to play Test rugby in November suggests that injuries will be a point to ponder during the coming month.
The Munster scrum-half is due to speak to media outlets tomorrow and may well decide to shed a little light on the status of his neck injury. But it’s striking that, in every other position, Schmidt could have his first-choice starters to choose from. Not to mention some some regular front-liners who may have to miss out.
To say the national team is in decent shape is more than an understatement, with a Grand Slam, Australia tour success and number two world ranking safely secured. It’s almost enough to make you feel uneasy about the weeks ahead that there are so few injury issues to mitigate that current high-flying status.
Assuming we see recoveries from Keith Earls, Josh van der Flier and Dan Leavy, we can count Murray and Chris Farrell as the major absentees from a list of possible starters against the All Blacks.
With Farrell continuing his long road to recovery from the knee injury sustained in Ireland training back in February, midfield looks the most likely place for a bolter to pop up when Schmidt unveils his squad. Will Addison is being widely touted as a favourite of the Kiwi head coach, while Connacht’s Tom Farrell has hit consistently excellent form this year and Mike Haley offers an intriguing alternative at fullback.
There is a little room to manouvre too, with bookend Tests against Italy and the USA and the outrageous chart in the pack promising a solid platform no matter what the combination.
As ever, the back row appears the most competitive department. Having named a 38-man squad for last year’s November Test run with eight back rows, Schmidt may again find room in this squad for each of (deep breath now) Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Mahony, Jordi Murphy, CJ Stander, Dan Leavy, Rhys Ruddock, Jack Conan and Josh van der Flier. But it will be a tight squeeze. And four brilliant back rows will be left disappointed and out of matchday squads each week.
To add to the back row dilemma, Tadhg Beirne has continued his brilliant form in a new red jersey and will again give Schmidt and Simon Easterby a weekly dilemma between him, Devin Toner, James Ryan, Iain Henderson and possibly Quinn Roux or Ultan Dillane.
There is form to look to throughout Connacht’s ranks with the resurgent Finlay Bealham playing brilliant rugby in the tight and loose this season, not that there is much room to dance into the squad between Tadhg Furlong, Andrew Porter and John Ryan.
This time next year the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals will all be over and we will know if Ireland have achieved that stated goal of reaching the final four. Schmidt used the 2017 trip to Japan and the USA as his last big chance to blood fresh internationals and it has already reaped great dividends.
Next month, Ross Byrne is likely to be the next player to win his first cap after being a non-playing tourist in Australia. Addison isn’t a bad bet to be second, and the strength in depth elsewhere means any more bolters or World Cup wildcards offered forth have a superb chance to show their worth as they will be slotting in to a well-oiled Ireland machine.
Conor Murray will be missed and the All Blacks will be fiercely protective of their perch atop the world rankings, but an Irish squad in this rude of health bodes for an exciting run through next month. And returning talent would feel like an added bonus next year.
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