Raring to go

As far as Rory Best is concerned, revenge is a dish best served at home.

The Ulster hooker, one of the stars of Ireland’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals last October in New Zealand, does not repeat the R word that has bombarded the Irish camp from the time the final whistle blew in Wellington that day and Wales progressed to the semis at their expense.

Yet it is clear that having the chance to make amends on home soil at the start of the 2012 RBS 6 Nations Championship tomorrow is something of a boost to Declan Kidney’s team.

“At the World Cup, you have to hand it to Wales, they played a fantastic game and we were a wee bit off the running and you could argue one way or the another whether we were allowed to play, and accept it,” Best said.

“For us it is the start of a new tournament, it’s the first game and a game back home. It is the first game back after a disappointing result in Wellington. For us this week, a lot of it is about us and getting ourselves right and making sure the club players bring the form they have shown in the European Cup and try and bring it together and marry together as a team.

“The big thing for us is it nice to have a home game first up, which brings it own pressures and that. You have a little more pressure on yourself to perform at home.”

The comforts of familiar surroundings, though, outweigh the pressures, Best said yesterday as faced the media at the Aviva Stadium.

“Regardless of the opposition, having a home game, it is very important for us now to prepare, to get this week in Dublin getting ready for it.

“I suppose, it is just one of those things, after losing to Wales in the World Cup it was always going to be the case that the next game was going to be Wales and that’s just the way it is.

“It’s just one where we’re looking forward to starting a new tournament at the Aviva and hopefully fill it. It is an exciting time when you look at what the club teams are doing.”

There is also an expectancy that this is the year when Ireland finally regain the consistency of performance that has eluded them in the Six Nations since landing that historic Grand Slam in 2009.

“Obviously, for every Six Nations the Grand Slam is the ultimate goal and we have fallen off the last couple of years through a little bit of consistency,” Best said.

“It was something we talked about going into the World Cup, that we wanted to produce more consistency and it wasn’t just a case of producing big performances when we, for want of a better phrase, felt like it.

“I think we started to show that we can produce performance after performance, obviously it was a disappointing end, but now the pressure is on us to reproduce that and try to go five games in a row playing well as opposed to four, as we did in the World Cup.

“If we can get to a level and be sure that we’re good within ourselves and play as close to 100% as we can, we know there are not many teams who can live with us. But, I suppose, the flipside of that is if we don’t get it right, we’ve show in the past, there are a lot of teams who can beat us.”

How they match up: Simon Lewis looks at the key battles

SCRUM

Ireland: With the same pack that started last October’s World Cup quarter-final against the Welsh, Ireland have retained one of the plus points of that otherwise disappointing defeat. That continuity should help with a now-seasoned front-row unit that will face a trio still adjusting to a new loosehead and with a stand-in second row pair. 4/5

Wales: The loss of loosehead Gethin Jenkins is a big blow and though replacement Rhys Gill is part of a formidable scrummaging unit at Saracens there will still be some unfamiliarity in the Welsh front row. Huw Bennett and Adam Jones provide plenty of front-row Test experience and the incoming locks provide plenty of bulk, while number 8 Toby Faletau is a dangerous threat off the back. 3½/5

LINEOUT

Ireland: Paul O’Connell is reunited with Donncha O’Callaghan, Donnacha Ryan left on the bench in an upset of current Munster thinking. It pairs the veterans for a new Six Nations record of 21 starts together at lock. Jamie Heaslip is one of the back-row options on Ireland ball for Rory Best to aim at. 4/5

Wales: No Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones or France-bound Luke Charteris, both of whom are injured, leaving Bradley Davies and Ospreys’ Ian Evans to hold the fort. Some-time lock Ryan Jones starts at blindside, providing plenty of variety along with captain Sam Warburton. 3½/5

BREAKDOWN

Ireland: Plenty of points to prove here after Wales won this battle hands down in Wellington, negating Sean O’Brien’s value in particular. That was an off day, though, and there should be an abundance of clean aggression from Ireland at the tackle area, if this season’s Heineken Cup is anything to go by. 3½/5

Wales: The absence of Dan Lydiate should not detract from the potential of the Welsh to be extremely effective here as Ryan Jones comes in at blindside. Wales snuffed Ireland out at the breakdown in October, slowing their ball to a standstill at times and they will be looking to do the same again this weekend. 4/5

KICKING

Ireland: Jonny Sexton resumes place-kicking duties, although an ankle problem has hampered him of late. He says he is a better decision-maker this season and knows exactly when to kick and when to carry and with Fergus McFadden joining an adept backline of tactical kickers him and Ronan O’Gara, Ireland are currently blessed with some strong boots. 4/5

Wales: Warren Gatland uses the kicking game more than most and the return to fitness of Rhys Priestland is a big boost in that regard. Like O’Gara he likes to test opponents with crossfield kicks in attack but he is not so consistent off the tee. The Welsh love to throw up high balls to test defences and in Leigh Halfpenny at full-back they have not just a long-range place-kicker but a real threat from deep in open play. 4/5

WIDE GAME

Ireland: Sexton’s selection at fly-half suggests some Leinster-style total rugby, particularly with that province’s Gordon D’Arcy and Fergus McFadden in midfield. Keith Earls’s clinical finishing will be missed but there is a potent back three in Rob Kearney, Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe and a commitment to expansive rugby. 4/5

Wales: No Shane Williams, who has retired from Tests, but still the Welsh have a classy backline and have added Cardiff wing Alex Cuthbert to the mix for good measure. With Jamie Roberts and Jon Davies creating space in midfield, the Welsh will look to open up the wide channels at every opportunity for Cuthbert, Halfpenny and George North to exploit 4½/5

Totals: Ireland: 19½/25

Wales: 19½/25