UNFINISHED BUSINESS

The rugby season has been suspended indefinitely, but when the action resumes there are a host of players who have a point to prove to Andy Farrell...

THE RUGBY season is on an indefinite hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it remains to be seen when this campaign is resolved. There is the small matter of Ireland’s Six Nations games against Italy and France as well as the business ends of the Pro14 and European Champions Cup.

And there are a host of Irish players with points to prove when rugby returns to these shores again…

SEAN CRONIN Last Ireland appearance:

Ireland 35 Russia 0 – October 2019

The perpetual impact sub under Joe Schmidt’s watch, Sean Cronin never convinced the New Zealander he had the right stuff to consistently lead from the front at Test level. Concerns over Cronin’s scrummaging and lineout throwing hindered his progress, yet Schmidt saw the Leinster hooker’s quality in the loose – especially in the final quarter of games when defences tired. Of Cronin’s 72 Ireland appearances, only 10 were from the kick-off while his maiden Test start in the Six Nation did not arrive until 2019 when we faced Italy in Rome.

A neck injury curtailed his impact at the World Cup in Japan and he returned home following the pool meeting with Russia. While he rehabbed that problem, Ronan Kelleher emerged from his shadow at Leinster and stole a march on the starting berth with the province, winning his first three caps during the recent Six Nations.

At 33, Cronin’s race at international level may be run, but he needs to prove to Andy Farrell that he can emulate Rory Best and continue to perform in the twilight years of his career.

NIALL SCANNELL Last Ireland appearance: Ireland 14 New Zealand 46 – October 2019

When Rory Best hung up his boots after the World Cup, Niall Scannell would have felt quietly confident about moving up the pecking order and cementing his place as Ireland’s first-choice hooker.

Since making his debut against the Azzurri in Rome during the 2017 Six Nations championship, the Corkman – ever-present in the Munster ranks – accumulated 20 caps, including nine starts.

However, Scannell’s international aspirations were dealt a major blow when Andy Farrell selected his Six Nations training squad in January. There was no sign of Scannell on the roster of hookers as Ireland’s new head coach opted for the trio of Rob Herring, Ronan Kelleher and Dave Heffernan. It was a statement of intent from Farrell and his desire to have a dynamic, ball-carrying presence in that position.

Scannell has been challenged to react and it will be fascinating to see if the Munster frontrower can edge his way back into the Ireland reckoning.

JACK McGRATH Last Ireland appearance: England 57 Ireland 15 – August 2019

For most of Joe Schmidt’s tenure, Jack McGrath and Cian Healy, as was the way at Leinster, were the leading loosehead props in the country. That rivalry brought out the best in both. Healy was clearly the more explosive athlete but McGrath’s workrate, scrummaging and intelligence saw him edge ahead in that battle several times, most notably when he toured New Zealand with the Lions in 2017.

McGrath has slipped down the propping ranks in recent seasons, however. A troublesome hip injury saw him lose his starting spot at Leinster to a resurgent Healy with the likes of Ed Byrne and Peter Dooley moving off the Leinster academy conveyor belt to apply extra pressure.

After years of underachievement, Munster’s Dave Kilcoyne was finally realising his potential and Schmidt was taking note. Feeling the heat, McGrath opted to make the switch to Ulster in the summer of 2019. Slowly, but surely, McGrath has rediscovered his mojo in Belfast. Earlier this month, the 30-yearold signed a new two-year contract to remain with the province. Time is on his side.

RHYS RUDDOCK Last Ireland appearance: Ireland 14 New Zealand 46 – October 2019

Perhaps the unluckiest player in Ireland at the moment. One of the few to return from that ill-fated expedition to Japan with his reputation enhanced, Rhys Ruddock was widely tipped to break into the Ireland starting line-up but the Leinster blindside was omitted from Andy Farrell’s Six Nations plans.

The emergence of Caelan Doris and Max Deegan has seemingly put a squeeze on Ruddock, who has shown his leadership qualities in recent years – captaining an Ireland development squad to the US and Japan in the summer of 2017 as well as serving as a vice captain under Johnny Sexton in Leinster during the past two campaigns.

At the age of 29 and with just 26 Ireland caps to his name, Ruddock will aim to prove Farrell wrong when the provinces return to action.

JORDI MURPHY Last Ireland appearance: Ireland 35 Russia 0 – October 2019

Faced with a seemingly endless stream of backrowers at Leinster, Jordi Murphy made the decision to sign for Ulster ahead of the 2018 season. Murphy’s ability to play across the backrow earned him plenty of caps under the previous Ireland regime. But he has always looked most at home on the openside flank. Murphy has made Ulster’s number seven shirt his own. The Barcelona-born backrow forward failed to make the cut for the World Cup with Joe Schmidt opting to bring just one specialist openside in Josh van der Flier. He flew out mid-tournament as injury cover for Jack Conan before a busted rib against Russia ended his involvement.

The likes of Will Connors and Jack O’Donoghue have emerged as exciting options this season but Murphy, 28, is used to the fierce competition in the Ireland set-up.

JACK CONAN Last Ireland appearance: Ireland 27 Scotland 3 – September 2019

Like many of his teammates, Jack Conan will be left with mixed feelings about this current campaign. The curtailing of the season due to the coronavirus crisis aside, Conan made great strides this term before another injury setback struck – an all too frequent occurrence in the Leinster No8’s career.

The 27-year-old was finally set to fulfil his enormous potential in an Ireland jersey on the biggest stage of all. In fact, Conan was pencilled in to start at No8 – with CJ Stander shifting to blindside in a new-look backrow – in the World Cup pool game against Japan before he suffered a fractured a foot in training, an injury which ended his involvement in Japan. He was set to make his return from that setback this month. No doubt, he will be champing at the bit when things get back to normal, eventually.

DAN LEAVY Last Ireland appearance: Ireland 28 Argentina 17 - November 2018

Dan Leavy was poised for one of the most remarkable injury comebacks in the coming months. The Leinster openside, a force of nature during Ireland’s all-conquering exploits of 2018, has been out of action since he suffered a horrific leg injury during his side’s European Champions Cup quarter-final clash against Ulster in Dublin in April of last year.

The extent of the damage meant at least 12 months out of the game with many questioning if the talented flanker would ever fully recover. Amazingly, Leavy has made giant strides and was poised to make an emotional return for Leinster before the end of the season. The indefinite break will do him no harm. He was sorely missed by Ireland last season and could become a crucial figure in years to come.

KIERAN MARMION Last Ireland appearance: Wales 17 Ireland 22 August 2019

Went from starting the victory over the All Blacks in Dublin to missing the World Cup cut in the space of 10 months. Kieran Marmion was pretty much Conor Murray’s understudy since the 2015 World Cup and started some big games, such as the 2017 victory over Grand Slam-chasing England on the final day of the championship, but the Connacht scrumhalf has lost ground on Murray, John Cooney and Luke McGrath this season. Caolin Blade has also emerged a serious contender in the Sports

ground as well.

Having turned down a reported move to Saracens – prior to their salary cap implosion, it must be said – Marmion will look to re-establish himself as one of Ireland’s frontline half backs.

JACK CARTY

Last Ireland appearance: Ireland 35 Russia 0 – October 2019

Seemingly the fall guy as Ireland’s World Cup campaign suffered a major setback when Joe Schmidt’s side were ambushed by Japan in Shizuoka. Jack Carty was entrusted with the No10 shirt that day in the injury-enforced absence of Johnny Sexton and, despite an impressive start when he teed up Ireland’s two tries, he struggled to control the game in the second half as the tournament hosts amped up the pressure.

It got worse for Carty when he returned home as Munster reject

Conor Fitzgerald moved ahead of him as Connacht’s first-choice outhalf. His post-World Cup slump was not lost on his head coach Andy Friend.

‘Last year he was the man,’ said the Connacht boss last December.

‘He was the bloke. He got himself an Irish cap, he’s gone to the World Cup. He’s come back and there’s a young fella in Conor Fitzgerald who has stepped up. These are just the new challenges.’

Unsurprisingly, Carty missed out on Six Nations selection but there were signs that the Roscommon man was rediscovering his mojo in recent months. Carty still has much to offer as an attack-minded, maverick out-half.

STUART McCLOSKEY

Last Ireland appearance: Ireland 57 USA 14 – November 2018

Stuart McCloskey has always been a curious case when it comes to international recognition.

The powerhouse Ulster midfielder has been a consistence source of goforward ball for his province, but Ireland caps have been few and far between.

McCloskey, 27, has just three Ireland appearances to his name and that has a lot to do with the likes of Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki and Chris Farrell – all options in midfield.

Schmidt felt McCloskey had deficiencies in his decision making and defensive game, but there is no doubting that he has become a far more rounded player under Dan McFarland’s watch at Ulster.

A recall beckons.