The Irish Independent's Tony Ward reflects on the Ireland squad announcement and believes complacency is to blame for the notable omissions.
"In naming his squad for the World Cup, Declan Kidney has acted with the decisiveness sorely lacking from his team at the Aviva last Saturday. The sense had been of a travelling 30 all but set in stone.
Whatever else it may have done, Saturday's no-show against the French put the cat among the pigeons and Kidney, in axing no fewer than six of his Grand Slam-winning squad, has shown little room for sentiment.
He has picked on form and sod reputation, with Luke Fitzgerald, Tomas O'Leary, John Hayes, Marcus Horan, Mick O'Driscoll and Peter Stringer all consigned to a standby place at best.
It is a bold call but the right one. Only in the case of Fitzgerald could I argue with Kidney's selection -- I feel there is potential game-breaking talent being left at home.
Injury has inevitably played its part, with Felix Jones the most unlucky in that regard. It wasn't that he was setting the world on fire, but certainly there was enough evidence to suggest his place alongside Rob Kearney on the flight Down Under was secure."
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