Who to pick for our upcoming test against the All Blacks? We seem spoiled for choice in some areas - but our options are limited in the front five, out half, and centre. I think that Kidney will go conservative and pick the following team: Dempsey, Bowe, O'Driscoll, Fitzgerald, Kearney, O'Gara, Reddan, Horan, Flannery, Hayes, O'Connell, O'Callaghan, Wallace, Heaslip and Ferris. The back row is the biggest imponderable. He could pick Jennings, Wallace and Quinlan or Jennings, Heaslip and Ferris but I reckon he'll prefer Wallace to Jennings. He'll never risk Earls at full back will he? Mind you he brought in Denis Hurley in the semi-final of the Heineken Cup earlier this year so he does take risks. Horgan or Bowe - it's a toss up and the same for Flannery and Best. If O'Leary was fully fit he'd get scrum half but Reddan will get the nod on fitness - though hardly on form. Is O'Driscoll fully fit? He didn't push himself against Canada. He would be a huge loss as Trimble is not international class and Horgan struggles in the centre.
P.S. Got most of these right - O'Leary is a shock but he must be fit and if so is a good choice. Best may be in as the token Ulster man (I'd marginally prefer Flannery for his spirit) and Quinlan is the old dog for the hard course.
