IRELAND’S RUGBY STARS get back to business this morning in the wake of their Six Nations defeat against Wales on Sunday.

And, as Declan Kidney admitted at Lansdowne Rd, there’s plenty to work on ahead of the France game in Paris this weekend. So what must the head coach do?

1. Is it time for experimentation?

It seems highly unlikely that Ireland will emerge victorious at the conclusion of this year’s Six Nations Championship. Surely, therefore, now is the time to start building for the future. Both at the World Cup and last weekend, Wales’ youthful vigour starkly contrasted with an Ireland side that looked anaemic at times.

Certain established players appear to have become all too cosy, with their places in the side seemingly assured no matter what happens, and perhaps an injection of youth would consequently shed some of the team’s lethargy. In short, a message must be conveyed at the next team selection meeting: no one is untouchable.

2. Is D’Arcy’s time up?

The 31-year-old has been an excellent servant to Ireland over the course of his 64 caps, but his influence on games has been dwindling for quite some time now. He was poor, for the most part, at this summer’s World Cup, and wasn’t much better against Wales last weekend.

Given that there are alternatives such as his Leinster teammate Eoin O’Malley available for selection, and with D’Arcy’s lack of relatively small stature at times being exposed against powerful Welsh backs such as Jamie Roberts and George North, perhaps a change of tack is needed.

3. Should he remain faithful to Jonny Sexton?

(Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan)

Ronan O’Gara has been in terrific form lately, and Sexton missed some crucial kicks on Sunday, so Declan Kidney needs to think carefully before choosing his fly-half for Saturday. If he bases his decision on current form, then O’Gara, who has been exemplary in the Heineken Cup for Munster, probably deserves to start.

However, if he picks a team with the future in mind, then surely he has to keep the faith with Sexton. Constantly switching between the two will do little to improve the Leinster man’s confidence – he needs to know for certain he’s first choice if Kidney wants him to perform at his best.

4. How can he get the best out of Ireland’s back row?

Following Sunday’s game, George Hook claimed that “Ferris, Heaslip and O’Brien are mismatched, and they’re not the best back row in the world”. And this opinion was echoed by many commentators and fans, as all three were relatively subdued for most of the game – in contrast with the excellent performances that they’ve consistently been delivering for their clubs.

Kidney must work out whether they complement each others’ strengths, or as George Hook suggests, they ultimately inhibit one another. If he adjudges the latter to be the case, then Kidney may have to consider the unthinkable and drop one of the big three.

5. How can he help overcome Ireland’s hoo-doo against France in Paris?

Since 2000, Ireland have played France six times and won only once – when Brian O’Driscoll scored a memorable hat-trick against them back in 2000. So it’s safe to say they’ll be going into Saturday’s game as underdogs. And quite why Ireland have such a poor record in Paris is hard to explain, but perhaps it is as much down to mentality as ability, given that Ireland have hardly been as inferior to France in recent years as their woeful record suggests.

Nevertheless, the last time Ireland were overwhelming underdogs going into a game – against Australia at the World Cup – they triumphed. Declan Kidney would do well to invoke the spirit of that occasion, when a similarly embattled Irish side emphatically proved their critics wrong.

What do you think Kidney should do? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Read: Here’s what the Welsh media thought of Ireland’s performance yesterday>