By Kieran Murphy SEAN O’Brien is set to make his home international debut this weekend after he was omitted from the Irish Wolfhound squad (Ireland A) for their match against Scotland A in Ravenhill on Friday. In what must be a pointer to the way the Ireland manager Declan Kidney is thinking, one of his nearest rivals for the back row position Shane Jennings has been named in the Wolfhounds squad so O’Brien is certain to be included in the final 22 for Saturday’s game against Italy as Ireland open up their defence of their Grand Slam and championship title. After making his international debut in the Autumn series against Fiji and following up that with a second-half appearance against South Africa, O’Brien experienced that sinking feeling when Leinster named him on the bench for their last two Heineken Cup qualifying games against Brive and London Irish. He did make an appearance in both games but Jennings and Kevin McLaughlin both looked to have stolen a march on him. The former Tullow player shrugged off these disappointments and was one of Ireland’s better players as the Irish Wolfhounds were beaten by their English counterparts (17-13) on Sunday in Bath. Now he is poised to go one step further. Speaking in Tullow yesterday morning his father said that the whole family was keeping “their fingers crossed. “We hope he makes it. I would admit that it is looking that way and we are geared to go,” he said. “He played out of his skin when he came on in those two Heineken Cup games and did nothing wrong against England at the weekend.” It is now just a matter of waiting patiently. “Hopefully he has done enough for Declan Kidney to pick him. We are just waiting for an announcement one way or the other,” said Cas senior.