‘Wounded’ Wallabies have point to prove

IRELAND have likened the Wallabies to a ‘wounded animal’ heading into the ‘group of death’, at the Rugby World Cup.

The Irish arrived in Sydney early yesterday to prepare for their tough Pool A games with defending champions Australia and Argentina along with lesser lights, Romania and Namibia.

The pool contains three of the top seven ranked teams in world rugby and only two can advance to the quarter-finals.

"It's the group of death there's no about it, it's the toughest group in the tournament and the key is to get out of that group if you want to do anything," said Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan.

Ireland launch their World Cup against Romania in Gosford on October 11 building up to their showdowns with the Argentina Pumas in Adelaide on October 26 and Australia in Melbourne on November 1.

"Australia are a dangerous team at the moment, they had a season that was below par for them and it was a bit of a disappointment," O'Sullivan said.

"But I think Australia are like a wounded animal, they've got something to prove and that makes them a dangerous team I'd rather play them when they are in form."

He said the Wallabies' last match a 21-17 Bledisloe Cup loss to the All Blacks in Auckland on August 16 indicated Australia's fighting qualities when they were backed into a corner.

"They didn't win the game but it was a hell of a performance," O'Sullivan said.

Australia have won 15 of their 22 internationals against Ireland, with Ireland's only win in their last 13 encounters coming in Dublin last November at Lansdowne Road, Dublin 18-9, all the points coming from penalty goals.

The Wallabies overcame first-half resistance to beat Ireland 45-16 in their last encounter in Perth last June after leading 14-13 at half-time.

Inspirational skipper Keith Wood said Ireland were proud to go into the World Cup as the third-ranked team in the world.

There were raised eyebrows in Australia when the new International Rugby Board rankings placed the Irish third behind England and New Zealand and ahead of the Wallabies.

"I knew that ranking thing was going to come up," said Woods. "It's a good thing to see although some people will argue the toss.

"Last season we played 17 Tests and won 15 of them. We did whatever we could and the rankings are only rankings the proof will be at the end of the World Cup."

O'Sullivan said Ireland's ranking was deserved. "I'm pretty happy about it, we had a good year.

"It's the IRB's decision, I didn't make the rankings but we had a pretty good year, that's my point the thing now is to keep it going."