No bull, just pure effort from key man Hayes

IT was at the Stade Chaban Delmas — then the Stade Lescure — that John Hayes scored a memorable try for Munster in their famous defeat of Toulouse in the 2000 Heineken European Cup quarter-final.

Hopefully, that will serve as a happy omen for the big man and his Irish colleagues when they face Georgia in their second game of the World Cup tonight (8pm, TV3, Setanta and ITV).

It’s in matches like these that the 33-year-old giant from Cappamore, Co Limerick, is invaluable to the Irish cause. If he stands up to the challenge in the tight — then his team will thrive. But if he and those around him succumb to the pressure, then even as talented a back line as Ireland’s will struggle to accumulate the tries and points so crucial to involvement in the knockout stages of the tournament.