Ireland ready for bonus territory

RUGBY:GERT SMAL has publicly stated that the newly-promoted players in this remodelled Irish side have to move performance levels up even further after last week's win over Australia. That looks a well nigh impossible task, for with winning margins now creeping up as the weaker nations wilt under the strain, at face value this almost looks like one of those damned-if-they-do, damned-if-they-don't game for this Irish team.

Yet, there is much to play for here. Aside from those who will be straining at the leash, there is the feel-good, momentum factor to be maintained.

There is also the more tangible reward of an accurate and ruthless bonus point win, which would keep the pressure on Italy to do likewise against the USA on Tuesday and perhaps give Ireland some insurance policy in the pool finale against Italy next Sunday, whereby a bonus point defeat would offer a default route into the quarter-finals.

The changes in personnel and thus the team dynamic (six of the starting line-up are making their first World Cup starts) may actually facilitate this. Furthermore, there is still potent ball-carrying in the likes Seán O’Brien and Seán Cronin up front, and Keith Earls and Andrew Trimble.

Given how much the Russian line-out has struggled (losing 10 of their own throws in two games to date) and ditto their scrum, one could imagine Isaac Boss also filling his boots on home soil.

Mirroring his counterpart Declan Kidney, and facing into their third game in 11 days, the Russia head coach Nikolay Nerush has also made nine changes in personnel and one positional, though some of those retained do look like key men.

Number eight Victor Gresev, man of the match in their 53-27 defeat to Italy and very much their go-to ball carrier up front, flanker Andrey Garbuzov and one-time Leinster lock Adam Byrnes are retained in the pack, as are outhalf Konstantin Rachkov, winger Vladimir Ostroushko and centre Andrey Kuzin, while another former Leinster man, Blackrock schools flyer Vasily Artemyev, has been moved from wing to the problematic fullback position.

Their 28-year-old scrumhalf Alexander Yanyushkin has been promoted to captain after an eye-catching Test debut last Tuesday, when the tournament’s smallest player (5’4”) replaced the injured Alexander Shakirov after 27 minutes when his side were already 31-0 down.

Injecting much more tempo into their running game, they were only outscored 22-17 thereafter, with Yanyushkin making history by scoring their first ever World Cup try within six minutes of his arrival. As an aside, it’s been a busy time for Gresev, one of five players in the Russian squad to become a father during the tournament.

Just four months ago Yanyushkin was not even considering the possibility of joining his national team in New Zealand when undergoing an operation for a torn Achilles in May. “I feel equal with my team-mates,” says the scrum-half, “although everyone around is taller than me. Yes, I am the smallest, but at the same time I am one of the fastest as well.”

In any event, this is clearly far from a Russian B side. Nor for that matter, does that apply to Ireland, who also have the slight benefit of having played in the Rotorua International Stadium, and thus most of the squad are familiar with the ground, even if only six of the match-day 22 actually featured in the 31-28 defeat to the New Zealand Maoris last year.

“Well, we’ll be hoping to get off to a better start anyway,” said Kidney in relation to the concession of a fifth-minute try that day, though it will be a surprise if ‘the Bears’ have a Hosea Gear-type finisher in their ranks. We understand the privilege of playing in Rotorua – the centre of Maori culture – and it was such a privilege to play the New Zealand Maoris here and it ended up quite a good game.

“The benefit of playing here, a bit like some places at home, is that if you play good rugby the crowd will respond to you, and that’s what we’re hoping to do. We’re hoping to go out and play good rugby. We have a job to do to try and get a win and that’s something we’ll try and do. But hopefully the crowd enjoy themselves the same way they did that night and it’s a smashing venue; a real rugby venue, and we’re really looking forward to playing there.”

As the clocks go forward in New Zealand tomorrow, the kick-off is now 12 hours ahead and thus will be at the less hospitable time of 6am in Ireland.

For the second time in the tournament, Ireland will have South African Craig Joubert in charge. It was surprising how much carnage Joubert allowed at the breakdown in the Ireland-USA game, especially players going off their feet from both sides of the tackle zone. Perhaps he was making undue allowances for the conditions.

Alas, the fine weather of the last couple of days in Rotorua is forecast to break a little over the weekend, with a risk of showers tomorrow on a cool evening. That shouldn’t be too much of a leveller, and this Irish team is good enough to maintain the momentum generated last week with a handsome win.

Betting (Paddy Powers): 1/750 Ireland, 80/1 Draw, 50/1 Russia. Handicap odds (Russia +46) 10/11 Ireland, 33/1 Draw, 10/11 Russia.

Forecast: Ireland to beat Russia and the handicap.