Here we go again! Hope everyone is ready for the roller coaster ride that is the Six Nations.
Ireland have announced their team with Kidney making a few new tweaks in the form of Wallace at centre. An interesting choice especially against the French – this is no warm up game. Kearney, who has been on crutches this weak after a training incident, should be fit for Saturday taking up his preferred position of full-back.
The team is as follows:
Ireland: R Kearney; T Bowe, B O’Driscoll, capt, P Wallace, L Fitzgerald; R O’Gara, T O’Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes, D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell, S Ferris, D Wallace, J Heaslip.
Replacements: R Best, T Court, M O’Kelly, D Leamy, P Stringer, G D’Arcy, G Murphy.
A few changes with the injury of O’Driscoll. Horgan steps in alongside Trimble to fill the #12 spot and Geordon Murphy beats Dempsey back from injury to take Full-Back. Kearney is pushed onto the wing and Bowe remains on the other wing. The fowards remain unchanged. 
The misery of Saturday’s match continues as we learn that Brian O’Driscoll will not play against England next weak. O’Driscoll sustained a hamstring tear late into the Welsh game. 
Ireland were unable to retain the triple crown for a third year running after a slow burning loss against Wales. There was a tense atmosphere in Croke park which allowed Ireland to stumble into the lead at half-time. Throughout, the Welsh defense looked impenetrable and it proved to be so as Ireland could not manage to muster a try. There seemed to be a lack of energy in the Irish team and also a lack of game plan. We can only hope that Ireland improve before they take on the English in the final match of the 2008 Six Nations. 
