RUGBY:IRELAND AND Australia went into this Pool C clash with the opportunity to exorcise a few ghosts on New Zealand soil and especially at Eden Park, where both sides would hope to return for the semi-finals.
Prior to last week’s opening win over the United States at New Plymouth, Ireland had only once won a Test match in New Zealand, during the inaugural World Cup in 1987 when they beat Canada 46-19. Almost as remarkably, given they visit New Zealand every year in the Tri-Nations, last Sunday’s 32-6 win over Italy at North Harbour Stadium was Australia’s first win on Kiwi soil for 11 years.
Of particular solace to the New Zealand media and public, with the prospect of the All Blacks facing the Wallabies in the final in Auckland on October 23rd, Eden Park is seen as their most impenetrable citadel. They last lost a Test match there 17 years ago against France, while the Wallabies’ last win there was 25 years ago.
When their Eden Park record was put to him, Rocky Elsom dryly retorted: “I think you’ll find that Ireland have no better record than us over the last 20 years at Eden Park. You’d think someone’s got to win, so that’d be a good start.”
The game marked Robbie Deans’ 50th Test in charge of the Wallabies, his first being their 18-12 win over Ireland in Melbourne in 2008.
A measure of the rebuilding job Deans has undertaken in the intervening time is just four of the Australian starting XV from that night – Adam Ashley-Cooper, Rocky Elsom, James Horwill and Stephen Moore were in this line-up.
Anthony Fainga’a becomes the seventh different centre to oppose Brian O’Driscoll in the 11 Tests the Irish captain has played against Australia since he made his international debut against the Wallabies in Brisbane in 1999.
In yesterday’s final captain’s runs, Keith Earls sat out Ireland’s session as a precautionary measure, whereas David Pocock was a bigger concern for the Wallabies after not training with a lower back problem.
Along with the hope/leap of faith (dilute to taste) that the occasion will inspire a performance akin to the defeat of England, with all bar two of that starting team lining up for kick-off here, is the knowledge that the Irish management have been planning for this one from a long way out.
And while Jim Williams and Elsom have some insight into Ireland, the same is true of Ireland’s duo of Australians, defensive coach Les Kiss and backs coach Alan Gaffney.
“There’s nothing like a big game like this to focus the mind, but the boys have prepared well,” said Kiss, who was in defiant and upbeat mood at Eden Park yesterday. I know a lot of people don’t give us much of a chance but it’s a game the lads are up for. It’s fine if people have written us off. This game’s about opinions.
“The most important thing is what we believe. That doesn’t disregard what other people’s views are, but it’s critical for us that we know what we’re about and that we believe.
“The lads have played in a lot of pressure games before like Heineken Cup finals, he added. “They know what it’s about and know what resources they had internally. There’s opinion out there and that’s fine, but the main thing is that we’re rock solid in what we believe in.”
AUSTRALIA: K Beale; J O’Connor, A Fainga’a, P McCabe, A Ashley-Cooper; Q Cooper, W Genia; S Kepu, S Moore, B Alexander; D Vickerman, J Horwill (capt); R Elsom, D Pocock, R Samo. Replacements: T Polota Nau, J Slipper, R Simmons, B McCalman, S Higginbotham, L Burgess, D Mitchell.
IRELAND: R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O’Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D’Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster); J Sexton (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster); D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster); S Ferris (Ulster), S O’Brien (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster). Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), T Court (Ulster), D Ryan (Munster), D Leamy (Munster), C Murray (Munster), R O’Gara (Munster), A Trimble (Ulster).
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand).
Forecast: Australia to win.
Follow live text commentary on today’s game and read Gerry Thornley’s online report on www.irishtimes.com/sport
