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Posted: Tue 5:10, 03 Sep 2013 Post subject: Ireland ready for key RWC clash with Italy-spun3 |
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Ireland ready for key RWC clash with Italy
Ireland fullback Rob Kearney believes the squad's experience of knockout rugby will benefit them when they face Italy in a potentially decisive World Cup match in Dunedin on Sunday.
Should the Azzurri beat the United States on Tuesday and Australia record a bonus point win over Russia on Saturday,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], it will be down to the winners of Sunday's match to decide which of Six Nations rivals Ireland and Italy go through to the quarter-finals along with the Wallabies out of Pool C.
For an Ireland team that's already produced the upset of this World Cup with a 15-6 win over Australia, the prospect of a first ever semi-final appearance at rugby's showpiece tournament is now on the horizon.
"It would be fantastic to get into the quarter-finals, semi-finals and your mind can sometimes wonder a little bit,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]," Kearney told reporters on Tuesday before intoning the mantra of 'one game at a time'.
Ireland,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], despite their win over the Wallabies,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], could yet be eliminated from the World Cup at the group stage as happened four years ago in France.
But the 25-year-old Kearney, who in 2009 helped both Irish province Leinster win the European Cup and Ireland complete a Six Nations 'grand slam', said: "That's knockout rugby.
"We are sort of lucky with the Heineken (European) Cup at home that we often find ourselves in these scenarios that come round six (knock-out stages),[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], you could be going one or either way," added Kearney,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], whose brilliant 2009 concluded with three Test appearances for the British and Irish Lions in South Africa.
"Knockout rugby,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], it's different and it's something you might not always be used to,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]," said Kearney.
"Whether you like it or not,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], it's a much higher pressure situation,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], knowing if you do lose,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], you could be going home."
Irish provinces though have won four of the last six European Cups and Kearney, who returned to international duty during Ireland's 10-6 defeat by Scotland in their opening World Cup warm-up match last month,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], said: "I'd like to think those games will stand to us hugely."
"Experience is the word,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]," insisted Kearney,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], capped 31 times by Ireland.
"It comes down to having played in those big games before and having to fight your way back in the last few minutes when things might not be going your way,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych].
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