Luke Fitzgerald dropped from the 22, Leo Cullen and Sean Cronin still on the bench, terrible idea!
We all noticed that Fitzgerald wasn't a full back after seeing him playing the first 2 games in that position. Kidney & co. persisted with him and now they drop him. Fitzgerald's confidence is at rock bottom after the Wales match which was his worst. Now he gets dropped just to rub salt into the wound. He is being used as a scapegoat to make it look like the coaches are trying to make a change. I don't have an issue with Andrew Trimble as he is a good player. Fitzgerald should have been moved back to the wing to try and regain some much needed confidence. This could be a crushing blow for both Fitzgerald and Leinster.
Cullen and Cronin must be the 2 most frustrated men in Ireland. They've been sitting on the sidelines watching an underperforming team and yet they have not been given a single opportunity between them, apart from the odd cameo. The 2 men that they would be replacing have not performed during this championship. What do they have to do to get a chance? How can you expect to keep players interested when deep down they think that they don't have a hope of breaking into the team? Especially when the team is underperforming. These guys must be desperate to get back to there provinces/clubs.
The picking of Jonny Sexton over Ronan O'Gara can only be for one reason. Sexton has been picked for his physicality in the tackle area against what is a giant English pack. It has to be for that reason. O'Gara has been playing well and Sexton hasn't coated himself in glory when he has come on. The big postive to this is that Sexton will finally have the chance to play off a quick scrum half, if we can get the ball.
Let's hope the Irish team can put a stop to the marauding chariot.