Ireland need warm-up Test tonic, says coach Greg Feek

A Test match to kick off the World Cup warm-up campaign is an unusual jumping-off point for pre-season but Ireland intend to hit the ground running when they face Italy this Saturday.

With disappointing Six Nations defeats to England and Wales still in the rear-view mirror and a World Cup pool-opening showdown with Scotland six weeks away in Yokohama on September 22, Ireland have to buck the trends of the former and start the latter fully switched on and ready for action.