Ireland must skip, not trudge, onto that plane

THE squad is set, the seats on the plane to New Zealand have been allocated and all Ireland need now is to ensure there is no unwanted baggage travelling with them to the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

With just 15 days before their first RWC pool game, Ireland play their final warm-up today and a less than convincing performance against England after three consecutive pre-season Test defeats will see doubt become an unwelcome addition to the travelling party.

The signs up to this point have been inauspicious but those losses to Scotland and France are not reasons to panic and it would be foolish to place too much store in this potentially very physical encounter with an old foe at the Aviva Stadium (2.30pm).