Rugby: Umaga wary of Irish threat

New Zealand centre Tana Umaga believes Ireland are close to breaking into the world rugby’s elite.

The All Blacks face Ireland at Lansdowne Road tomorrow in the knowledge that Warren Gatland’s team ran England close for this year’s Lloyds TSB Six Nations championship and denied Clive Woodward’s red-hot favourites a Grand Slam in Dublin less than a month ago.

Umaga thinks the Irish have what it takes to challenge the southern hemisphere giants of the game on a regular basis.

He said: ‘‘England and France have always competed well against us, and I would say Ireland are getting really close - if they’re not up there already.

‘‘They’ve got some great game breakers in Keith Wood, the full-back Girvan Dempsey and Brian O’Driscoll.

‘‘They’ve got some quality players who can crash through your lines, so they’re very dangerous - and we know all about them now. It will be interesting.

‘‘They know all about us as well, so I’d say it should be a good game.’’

Umaga is certainly taking nothing for granted against the Irish.

‘‘It’s going to be a very stern test. They will have great confidence; any team that beats England would have,’’ he said.

‘‘You just have to look at what they’ve done in the last few weeks to realise we’re in for a hard test, and it’s something the coaches are wary of.

‘‘Everyone’s a little bit nervous, but it just comes down to playing the game.

‘‘All the preparations are done, and we’re just looking forward to playing.’’

Umaga is particularly aware of the threat his midfield counterpart O’Driscoll poses to the New Zealand cause.

‘‘O’Driscoll’s a great player,’’ he said.

‘‘I watched him on the Lions tour, and he did things we couldn’t even do when he cut through the Australian defensive lines.

‘‘We’re expecting things from him, and it’s up to us to try and shut him down.’’