Kearney: We need to be on our game for Russia

Rob Kearney knows the importance of maintaining focus for Russia on Sunday.

The Irish squad are still riding the crest of a wave having pulled off a shock 15-6 victory over Australia, one of the tournament favourites, at Eden Park last Saturday.

Ranked 21st in the world, on paper Russia are the worst team in the World Cup and have even recently been overtaken by Portugal who are not participating in New Zealand.

Sunday’s game will be only the second time the two sides have met, the first being a Rugby World Cup qualifier in Krasnoyarsk nine years ago which the Irish won 35-3.

Even with the odds stacked heavily in Ireland’s favour Kearney insists the intensity from the Australia game must be maintained.

"You probably would expect it, on paper, to be our easiest pool match,” he told IrishRugby.ie.

"But I think the World Cup has shown over the last number of weeks, these lesser teams are getting better and there's going to be more and more upsets.

"If you don't come out of the blocks in the first 20 minutes and make a strong start and you give these other opponents hope, they get into the game more and things start flowing for them.

"Sport's very different and once the whistle blows anything can happen. So we need to be fully on our game."

The Leinster and Irish full back is desperate for more game time having played just three internationals since sustaining a knee injury against New Zealand last November.

Kearney showed some signs of rustiness in the opening exchanges in Auckland catching Wallaby full back Kurtley Beale with a high tackle before losing out to the same player under a high ball, but the UCD graduate recovered and proved one of Ireland’s most threatening runners.

With Ireland facing a physical encounter against Italy on October second, Kearney is hungry for more time on the pitch.

"I want to play as much as possible. I haven't played a huge amount over the last year and I don't feel quite there just yet.

"That's going to come with more games and more time on the field. The more minutes I can get the happier and more comfortable I'll feel out there."