Ireland driven by bitter 2011 defeat

Sean O’Brien believes Ireland go into their World Cup Pool D opener with Canada tomorrow in a good place and driven on by the bitter experience of their quarter-final exit four years ago.

Back-row O’Brien, 27, is one of 13 survivors from the match day 23 which suffered at the hands of Wales in Wellington at the 2011 World Cup.

“The lads that were there four years ago will know the disappointment we had at the end of it, we’ll bank that and make sure we don’t have the same feeling this time round,” O’Brien said, ahead of tomorrow’s Millennium Stadium clash with the Canadians.