Irish hopefuls cannot afford to show mercy

IRELAND get back on the bike tomorrow against Russia (6am) and need to keep pedalling as furiously as they did at Eden Park last weekend if they are to make the most of that famous victory over Australia.

This may be a dead rubber in the eyes of many observers but this Irish side being sent out by Declan Kidney needs to make a statement every bit as big as the one required ahead of the Wallabies encounter in Auckland a week ago.

Last weekend set the standard for future Ireland performances and this starting XV, showing nine changes from the line-up which began the Australia match, has been charged with continuing the momentum and edging their country closer to a pool-topping place in the World Cup quarter-finals.

That means a bonus point with at least four tries and a fluent backline running the ball wide should the expected calm conditions prevail.

Ireland failed to manage either in their opening Pool C game against the United States back on a rainy night in New Plymouth on September 11 but there should be no reason why those objectives cannot be achieved this weekend at the Rotorua International Stadium.

Russia will try and make it a scrap early on but are too error prone and ill-disciplined at the breakdown, with and without the ball, to prevent Ireland from emulating Italy last Tuesday night in Nelson and scoring the bonus point-qualifying fourth try before half time.

The Italians managed it inside the first 20 minutes but let the guard down with poor defence in the latter stages and allowed the Russians to score three tries. That should not happen either as Ireland, with the meanest defence in the tournament — 16 points conceded in two games — look to keep their discipline against a side that will have its resources severely stretched by playing its third game in 11 days.

The schedule set by the International Rugby Board has been cruel for the tier two and three nations at this tournament but that is not Ireland’s problem and with a technically more adept scrum and far superior lineout, Russian set-piece weakness can be exploited.

There are much stiffer challenges to come, starting next weekend with the October 2 group finale against Italy in Dunedin and a potentially massive encounter with Wales in the last eight a week after that in Wellington..

“After the win over Australia there’s a really good buzz in the camp and for the guys who are playing this week there’s a massive responsibility to carry on the momentum that we have now,” said tomorrow’s captain Leo Cullen, who at the age of 33 will be one of three Irish World Cup debutants.

“Guys have been training hard over the last couple of months and this is what we’ve all been looking for, the chance to play. We just need to push on from here. There’s no point in last week being the end of our journey.”

Ireland need to be smart and clinical and it appears that training this week has been as focused as it was ahead of last week’s big game against the Australians.

“We know how sharp we’re going to have to be,” head coach Kidney said yesterday.

“We know we’ve got to be on the money. We need a good performance at the breakdown and for that you need to be sharp. These guys have been training really well. It was nip and tuck over who should have played last week and after this it will be a even more difficult job over who plays the following week, I would imagine.”

Kidney has been diplomatically cautious in outlining his expectations for this match, paying the Russians the appropriate amount of respect, as his position demands, but surely even he was overdoing it yesterday in saying he would take a 3-0 win.

Ireland’s current buoyancy, tired Russian legs and the selection of Irish fringe players eager to prove a point should ensure a much higher margin. Nothing less would be acceptable and Ireland have to be ruthless if they are to be considered a viable contender at this World Cup.