The chance to turn that corner

THE ODDS are stacked against them and history suggests they haven’t a hope but there is something tangible about Ireland’s demeanour heading into the World Cup Pool C showdown with Australia that suggests something special is on the cards at Eden Park tomorrow morning.

This was never going to be a do-or-die World Cup tie for Ireland but given their poor form in pre-season and a deeply disappointing and error-strewn performance in victory against the United States last weekend, it is desperately important that, win or lose against the Wallabies, they emerge from the game with a positive performance for the rest of the campaign.

A defeat does not knock Ireland out but means they will have to beat Italy in the final pool game in Dunedin on October 2 to reach the quarter-finals. Yet even a place in the last eight is no longer satisfactory for this group of players, who two years ago were the kingpins of the northern hemisphere.