All scenarios covered, Ireland have prepped for a penalty kick competition 

FAIL TO PREPARE...: Assistant Coach Mike Catt. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

For those of a nervous disposition, look away now. Ireland are preparing for a penalty kick competition at Stade de France if they draw their World Cup quarter-final against the All Blacks on Saturday night.

A lot will have to happen for the dreaded shoot-out to take place, with a period 20 minutes of extra time the first port of call should the knockout clash end in a tie after the regulation 80 minutes. 

And if extra time does not separate the teams, World Cup rules allow for a sudden death period of 10 additional minutes, during which the match would be decided by the first team to score any points.

Yet if there is still no winner after 110 minutes of rugby, then the penalty-kick competition will determine who progresses to the semi-finals.

For Munster supporters still reliving the experience of their province’s agonising Champions Cup penalty-kick loss to Toulouse in 2022, that may make for difficult viewing but the Ireland camp yesterday insisted they were ready for what will be a five-man shoot-out, two more kickers per side than is the case in the European club competition.

"We have spoken about it. The players know who they are,” attack coach Mike Catt said, before adding with a smile: “Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Beirne.

“So they've definitely put in an extra couple of rounds with their kicking because they kick every day anyway.

"No, it's one of those that players are aware of it. It's a long way to get to that situation. You'd like to think that with the golden point now compared to what it was in the past, in those 10 minutes that one side would take their opportunity and take points.

"So the players who are on the pitch (at the end of 80 minutes) know who they are and fingers crossed we put them through the middle."

Catt was asked if the Irish management led by Andy Farrell had ticked every box it could over the past four years to be ready for this defining moment in their journey as a team.

“Yeah well, we’ll find out in the result, won’t we, ultimately. But yeah, listen, it’s been an amazing journey. The boys have been incredible, where we’ve come from, where they’ve come from, where we’ve got to, how we’ve learned as a group of coaches as well.

“We’ve put in really big performances and it’s moments like tomorrow night that we need to step up and perform again. So we’re massively proud of it. That doesn’t mean you’re going to win a game but we know if we put in a performance, and what we’ve achieved over the past two or three years then you give yourself a chance. Ultimately, that’s what international rugby’s about.

“It’s been a brilliant journey. It’s been an amazing journey, so we’ll see how long it continues for.”