Winning is primary bonus for O'Sullivan

Rugby World Cup Pool A, Ireland v Romania: Expectations are liable to exceed reality when Ireland attempt to hit the ground running in their World Cup opener against Romania in Gosford on Saturday.

Whether it be sixth in the world or third, Eddie O'Sullivan's men will be expected to win, and win well against relative minnows.

In other words, something of a no-win situation then.

It was the same when the sides last met, and Ireland laboured to a distinctly uninspired 39-8 win after the Romanian pooped the expected Thomond Park party by taking ownership of the ball and, worse still, decided to keep it for long periods of the second-half. The crowd yawned, the critics criticised, and Ireland embarked on a record 10-match winning run.

Furthermore, the bonus-points system which has been introduced to a World Cup for the first time seemingly has everyone in a tizzy and heightens the pressure to obtain five points (four for a win, and one for scoring four or more tries).

While it would be disappointing, to say the least, if Ireland weren't capable of scoring at least four tries against Romania, the importance of bonus points might actually be overplayed at this juncture.

Unless the three main contenders in Pool A (Australia and Argentina being the others of course) beat each other then three victories and just one bonus point along the way out to be enough to ensure progress to the quarter-finals.

Bonus points could be more decisive in, say, the fight for second place in Pool D behind the All Blacks. The nuts and bolts of this group are still going to be the winning and the losing of the three games involving the big three.

Certainly O'Sullivan is a bit weary of constant questioning about obtaining a bonus point in this opener.

"Everybody wants to win and get a bonus point," conceded O'Sullivan. "But I think you can get carried away with getting your bonus point too early in a game. It's more important to win the game.

"So rather than going with targets that we're going to score X or Y, I think it's a bit silly. Rugby doesn't work like that. When you go into a game your sole purpose is to win the game and in the process of winning the game you would hope to pick up a bonus point. I think that's the mental approach you need to take. If you put the cart before the horse you're looking for trouble."

Referring to that Thomond yawn, O'Sullivan readily conceded: "The last time we played them they caused us a few problems, because of their physicality and their strength, and they have some pace. They've been described as a grizzly pack, big and strong ball-carriers. If anything they've just got better, and this is the World Cup for them as well. They'll want to put their best foot forward against Ireland first game out of the blocks."

That's for sure, and the history of World Cups in both rugby and football, is that not alone do stronger teams benefit from opening games, but that the "weaker" ones come out all guns blazing at the start.

Only three of the 10 50-point-plus victories in the history of the World Cup have occurred in the opening round of matches.

Romania aren't dummies. They are a big, physical side. They'll have a strong scrum and Ireland's in-depth video analysis has highlighted the strength of their own lineout, and as they showed in Limerick, having won it they can hang on to it, whether by mauling or pounding away with close-in runners.

DLSP winger Mihai Vioreanu, who will be on the bench after leading try-scorer Gabriel Brezoianu was passed fit, spoke of Ireland accommodating both Victor Costello and Anthony Foley in the back row. Clearly mindful of that, their coach Bernard Charreyre has moved Ovidiu Tonita to openside and lock Cristian Petre to lock in a big back five. Vioreanu's presence has heightened Romania's familiarity with Ireland.

"I have played against them (Irish players) at club level and I just told them (his team-mates) that they are only rugby players. They have better culture and tradition, and a better base of players for selection, and that's where the difference comes. But one to one they are just rugby players."

You wouldn't have put the cat out when Ireland trained in another heavy downpour at the start of another cloudy, chilly day and as O'Sullivan noted, these would not be the conditions Ireland would want on Saturday. "It could turn into a slugging match up front, which certainly wouldn't suit us."

The forecast is better however, although either way O'Sullivan maintains it's going to be a very difficult game. "Quite frankly, if it takes 79 minutes to win the game I can live with that. That's the most important thing."

Even if that's perhaps lowering expectations a little too much, it's worth noting, as is often the case when meeting relatively under-funded and semi-professional test sides, the gap in terms of preparation is much closer come World Cup time. In stark contrast to that Thomond meeting and, indeed, all but one of the previous six occasions Ireland have downed "The Oaks", there's actually little difference in the extent of each side's preparations this time.

Romania have effectively been in camp since coming together in a commando base in the south of France on August 7th, taking in the Romanian mountains and the Black Sea in a scenic route to Oz.

They'll probably be tougher opponents than Namibia next weekend but one wouldn't imagine Romania would carry anything like the same scoring threat out wide, or even close in as Ireland, who should at least be able to have solid set-pieces of their own, get Costello, Kevin Maggs and co running over the gain line, and play a better territorial game.

Ireland should be able to make bouts of pressure count for more on the scoreboard.

If the team are as focused on their own basics as O'Sullivan is, and first winning the game, then a handsome enough win and that bonus point should eventually follow. Anything less would be a disappointment but there'll be periods of trouble along the way, and it probably won't be a cricket score.

Previous meetings: (1986) Ireland 60 Romania 0; (1993) Ireland 25 Romania 3; (1998) Ireland 53 Romania 35; (1999) WC Ireland 44 Romania 14; (2001) Romania 3 Ireland 37; (2003) Ireland 39 Romania 8.

Betting (Paddy Powers): (Handicap odds = Romania + 50 pts) 10/11 Ireland, 16/1 Draw, 10/11 Romania.

Forecast: Ireland by 30-odd.