O’Sullivan tips Ireland as World Cup ‘dark horses’

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN knows more than he would like about Ireland falling short in the World Cup, but he believes Declan Kidney’s side will be this year’s dark horses and could win the tournament for the first time.

It is just over three years since O’Sullivan left his role as Ireland’s head coach, having seen his side exit the 2003 World Cup at the quarter-final stage and not evenget out of their pool four yearslater.

Since then his successor, Declan Kidney, has succeeded where he could not, guiding Ireland to their first Grand Slam for 61 years in 2009.