D’Arcy: Rog will be targeted

GORDON D’ARCY is expecting Wales to target Ronan O’Gara again in Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final but the centre believes Ireland can deal with the tactic, just as they did when winning the Grand Slam in 2009.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has often sent teams out to try and exploit fly-half O’Gara’s perceived defensive weaknesses, not least when Ireland went to Cardiff two years ago in search of the Slam.

O’Gara had the last laugh that day, sending over the drop goal at the Millennium Stadium that delivered an Irish clean sweep for the first time since 1948, and D’Arcy said yesterday that having seen off the Welsh then, they could do it again.