Atrue visionary and master tactician, hewasoneofthe first football manager in the modern sense, taking full charge of the teamrather than a board picking the side.
But with new boss Paul Jewell watching from the stands before takingchargeof the team on Thursday, the home side belied a run of form that had seen them lose eight of their last 11 fixtures with a performance of tremendous desire and determination.
It was a remarkable triumph for Kidney, who was takingchargeof the team in the Six Nations for the first time, but he was keen to stress the debt he owed to his predecessor Eddie O'Sullivan and those involved in grass-roots rugby.