by Liam TogherIreland are set to be without the services of some key players ahead of the autumn international series in November. Captain Brian O’Driscoll and Ulster hooker Rory Best have both been ruled out after picking up injuries for their respective provinces in Rabo Direct Pro12 action last week.
Declan Kidney’s side will play South Africa, Fiji and Argentina in the Guinness Series, with the Fiji game taking place at Thomond Park on Saturday, November 17.
O’Driscoll limped out of Leinster’s 59-22 demolition of Cardiff Blues on Saturday evening with an ankle injury and Best picked up a neck injury in Ulster’s 46-19 win away to the Dragons in Wales.
The absence of O’Driscoll was likely to open the door for Munster’s Paul O’Connell to assume the captaincy, but Kidney is reluctant to give the player such a responsibility considering his ongoing back injury.
The Ireland coach said: “Paul isn’t training today and his own niggles with his back. He was hoping to get some pitch time this weekend and that is not right for him too.
“Captain can be an onerous position, we’ll let him recover first and see what’s best for the person too.”
Kidney is expected to name either Jamie Heaslip or Jonathan Sexton as Ireland captain for the Guinness Series.
The coach has taken the opportunity to draft some previously uncapped players into the squad, including Munster prop Dave Kilcoyne.
That means Kilcoyne could potentially make his Ireland debut at Thomond Park when Ireland play Fiji at the Limerick venue in the second game of the series.
Thomond Park has hosted Ireland games in recent years, most recently in June 2010 when they were defeated 29-23 by the Barbarians.
Also, in November 2008, Kidney oversaw a 55-0 romp over Canada at the home of Munster Rugby.
Fiji return to Ireland having last played them in an autumn international in 2009, when the home side ran out 41-6 winners at the RDS in Dublin.
The upcoming Guinness Series will be crucial for Kidney and the Ireland squad, with memories of a harrowing summer trip to New Zealand needing to be banished.
There are key questions still to be answered for the Grand Slam-winning coach.
Who will assume the captaincy in the absence of O’Driscoll? Will Kilcoyne, among others, make an international debut? And will there be signs of optimism ahead of a Six Nations campaign in spring 2013 that could define Kidney’s future as Ireland coach?
