Ireland Preview: Bad memories, singing support and playing for the moment

We reveal Ireland’s secrets including: a refusal for forward thinking, hauntings from France 2007, big selection gambles and a motivational boost from singers, comics and the world’s fastest man…

It has not been an ideal build-up for Joe Schmidt’s Ireland. The back-to-back RBS 6 Nations champions enjoyed a blistering opening 50 minutes against Wales in Cardiff in early August but have stuttered since. They narrowly beat Scotland in Dublin then lost to Wales at home and England away.

Ireland are yet to reach the semi-finals in eight attempts, but while the pre-World Cup form has tempered expectations, which have soared since Schmidt took over as coach two years ago, the Irish public still genuinely believe their team can do it this time around.

There is a clean bill of health, with only second-string flanker Tommy O'Donnell missing through injury, and Ireland’s run of games – Canada, Romania then Italy – all points to a momentum-building run to the potential Pool D decider with France in Cardiff on October 11.

They haven’t lost to the French in their last four meetings. Another victory would in all probability see them avoid the All Blacks in the quarters and instead pit them against the beatable Argentines. A place in the last four beckons, or at least that’s the theory.

Schmidt happens….

Just don’t tell that to the boss. Head coach Schmidt forbids such far-reaching forward thinking and in his two years at the helm has instilled in his players the mantra of winning merely the moment that’s in front of them. Not week-by-week or even day-by-day but moment-by-moment.

Read through any player interviews you care to stumble upon and that short-term philosophy runs through every quote, which is why there is no talk of meeting the French, only a fierce focus on this Saturday’s clash under the Millennium Stadium roof with Canada.

Remember 2007

Nothing brings an Irish rugby player or supporter out in a cold sweat more than mention of the ill-fated World Cup campaign in France eight years ago.

That was the tournament that was meant to be the crowning glory for a golden generation led by Brian O'Driscoll and coached by Eddie O'Sullivan but, overtrained and undercooked, it all went horribly wrong on French soil. They struggled past Namibia and only beat Georgia when Denis Leamy held up their match-winning try.

Handily beaten by the hosts, sorry Ireland limped into the last eight and were duly thumped by Argentina at Parc des Princes. Since then France 07 has become an Irish byword for rugby failure, the mistakes of that campaign never to be repeated.

Selection gambles

Schmidt made several big calls when he named his 31-man World Cup squad, leaving Ulster wing Andrew Trimble at home and selecting only two scrum-halves and two specialist loosehead props.

Schmidt freed up some space in his back division by not taking a third number nine, instead nominating the already versatile fly-half/inside centre/full-back Ian Madigan as scrum-half cover should an ill wind blow either Conor Murray or Eoin Reddan out of the picture.

There was a further surprise when the Kiwi selected rookie tighthead Tadhg Furlong as cover on the loosehead side of the front row for Cian Healy and Jack McGrath.

Celebrity boosters

Ireland squads run on team spirit and in past World Cups celebrities have been brought in to boost morale or even give a telling pep talk. This one is no exception, with revered folk singer Christy Moore and comedian Tommy Tiernan both paying visits to the team’s Carton House training camp in Kildare this summer.

The Irish management sprung a further surprise before the game against England at Twickenham 10 days ago when Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt stopped by to share a few words of wisdom. After an hour-long Q&A session and a raft of selfies, the multiple World and Olympic champion had enjoyed himself so much he even stayed for dinner.

Fitness boost

Ireland will go into their opening fixture against Canada this Saturday with a morale-boosting clean bill of health. They escaped pre-season with just the loss of injured flanker Tommy O'Donnell and have just declared linchpin loosehead Cian Healy finally fit for purpose after a summer spent rehabbing from neck surgery in May.

The presence of the Leinster scrummaging and ball-carrying beast is a major boost given the aforementioned lack of genuine loosehead cover. On the tighthead side, however, fellow cornerstone Mike Ross will be without regular back-up Marty Moore, who did not recover from a string of injuries. Connacht’s Nathan White, a Test debutant aged 34 last month, will deputise with Furlong in reserve.

Never underestimate Irish fan power

With a World Cup just across the water and a massive fanbase already in the UK, Ireland will be playing virtually on home soil at this World Cup.

At the last World Cup, the fans’ passion blew the players’ minds as O'Driscoll and co were followed around New Zealand by an army of supporters in camper vans – outnumbering the Aussies in Eden Park and seeing 25,000 in Dunedin for the Italy game. On that basis, who knows what the noise levels expected in London and Cardiff can do for O'Connell and his comrades.

Paulie’s last hurrah

Lest we forget, Ireland’s talismanic captain Paul O'Connell is about to embark on his fourth and final World Cup campaign before he retires from international rugby and starts a new chapter in the French Top 14 with European champions Toulon.

The former Munster and Lions captain, who won his 100th Ireland cap during the Six Nations last March, will turn 36 on October 20, by which time he will know whether he has become the first Irish captain to lead his team into a World Cup semi-final.

Tommy’s Try Watch

Wing Tommy Bowe goes into the World Cup just one try short of matching Denis Hickie’s Test tally of 29. That would move the Ulsterman level in second place on Ireland’s all-time try-scoring list but still some way short of the record of 46 held by Brian O'Driscoll.

O'Driscoll, who spend his first World Cup since retirement as an ITV pundit, also leads Ireland’s appearance list with 133 Tests, with current captain Paul O'Connell set to overtake former Munster team-mate and prop John Hayes in third place if he plays twice in this tournament and reaches 106 caps.