Predictable selections for the 6 Nations squad

24 players straight from the RWC 2011 squad and in fact 20 of them were in the match squad of 22 which lost to Wales in the quarter final of the RWC, where they underperformed to a man.

No surprise there really - it was never going to be anything else because the 6N is the bread and butter financial diet of the IRFU and the coach is more than aware of that. This was emphasised by the IRB recently when they issued the seedings arrangements for the 2015 RWC:

The IRB world rankings at the end of 2012 will dictate the seedings for the English event and Ireland needs a minimum of a top eight or it would be suicidal.

The chances of any of the A Wolfhounds getting into the match 22 for Wales is zilch, barring injuries to the senior squad, despite the coaches "closer look" comment. All of them have been playing Heineken Cup senior rugby under the microscope and are where they are - in the A squad. They have had every opportunity and "have not stood out" for Coach Kidney. The two matches are only a week apart.

Senior squad Munster 6, Leinster 12, Ulster 5, Ospreys 1, No Connacht player.

Leo Cullen is having surgery, Paddy Wallace sneaks in again.

23/24 on senior squad - ex Cullen, 6 X Young bloods in reserve, 22 on A Wolfhounds and 8/9 officially list as injured.

60 players in total.

The total number of professional rugby players in Ireland is set at 135, deduct 25 foreign players, leaves 110 and only five players from the Connacht playing squad made it to the 60. It means that sixty per cent (60%) of the Irish professional players are included in the Irish 2012 January selections.

IRELAND Training Squad (2012 RBS 6 Nations):

Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)

Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)

Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)

Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)

Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)

Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)

Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)

Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)

Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)

Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)

Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)

Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)

Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

Additional Players -

Ian Nagle (Cork Constitution/Munster) *

Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) *

Tiernan O'Halloran (Galwegians/Connacht) *

Paddy McAllister (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*

Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Leinster) *

Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) *

O2 IRELAND WOLFHOUNDS Squad (v England Saxons):

Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster) *

Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)

Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)

Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)

Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)

Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)

David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) *

Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)

Ronan Loughney (Galwegians/Connacht) *

Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) *

Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht)

Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

John Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht)

Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)

Eoin O'Malley (Old Belvedere/Leinster) *

Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

Mike Sherry (Garryowen/Munster) *

Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster) *

Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)

Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster)

Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht) *

Not considered due to injury: Brian O'Driscoll, David Wallace, Darren Cave, Felix Jones, Jerry Flannery, Eoin Griffin *, Denis Leamy, Niall Ronan.