Ireland can win the World Cup, declares Ferris

FOUR years ago, the Irish rugby team failed to make it past the group stages of the Rugby World Cup for the first time after telling everyone and anyone that they had what it took to win the tournament.

Such a chastening experience has led to a more circumspect approach to this year’s event in New EZealand. Pronouncements about performances have been few and far between with leading players preferring a softly-softly approach in the run-up.

Until yesterday, that was, when Stephen Ferris assured Guinness Rugby’s latest PR campaign extra column inches by trumpeting the chances of the squad just under 10 weeks before the first game, against the USA in New Plymouth.

“We can win the World Cup,” said Ferris in Dublin. “We showed against England in the Six Nations what we are all about. We are all about playing that kind of rugby. It is just about being consistent. That is what Deccie is drumming into us. We have got all the talent in the world. We have got experience, we have got youth, we have got players who have won trophies and we are just missing one. We definitely believe that we can go over there and win.”

Ireland have been drawn in Pool C with top seeds Australia as well as Italy, Eddie O’Sullivan’s USA and Russia and will target a first Tri-Nation scalp at the global event in the hope of securing a smoother path through the knockout stages. Beat the Wallabies and they would face the runner-up in Group D, likely to be one of Wales, Fiji or Samoa, in the quarter-final. Lose to Robbie Deans’ team, however, and they would have to overcome world champions South Africa in the last eight.

Ferris is on course to take part in that campaign after six frustrating months spent recovering from a knee injury which forced him to sit out Ulster’s run to the Heineken Cup quarter-final, Magners League semi-final and Ireland’s Six Nations run.

The Ulster flanker has also had to contend with assault charges made against him and older brother David — which the younger Ferris has denied — but he rejected the suggestion yesterday that the matter could affect his rugby.

“You just want it over with,” he said. “I suppose it’s being hanging over myself and my brother. It was difficult but, for Ulster and Ireland, my focus has been good and they have supported me 100%.”

Ferris has been using state-of-the-art technology in an effort to aid his recovery programme. He has been undertaking a progressive running programme that was conducted by Alan McCaldin on an Alter G treadmill. The anti-gravity running machine controls the pressure exerted on the body, allowing him to load his knee with up to 100% of his bodyweight.

Meanwhile tournament chiefs last night confirmed that 1,000,000 tickets have now been sold for Rugby World Cup 2011 following a surge in sales during the final phase of ticketing for the tournament, which opened to the public on Monday.

Martin Snedden Rugby New Zealand 2011 chief executive said: “We are thrilled with the way fans in New Zealand and around the world have responded.”