Horrible history creates caution in camp
RORY BEST inadvertently set the tone for quarter-final week in the lead-up to Ireland’s third pool game against Italy. ‘You only get a crack at the World Cup every four years — there is a lot of heat and you have to get away,’ he said. ‘In 2007, we didn’t have enough craic off the pitch. ‘Four years ago, we got it right for a bit and then it swung too much towards craic and not enough work, so it’s important we get that balance right,’ he said. That is the very equation Joe Schmidt is now juggling, trying to ensure the limited training window available due to the physical toll the seismic win over France took doesn’t become an excuse for Ireland, in need of rest and recuperation, to take their eye off the ball. The widely held pre-quarterfinal assumption in Wellington four years ago was that Ireland were semi-final bound, only for Declan Kidney’s side to be ambushed by Wales, and that is why there should be no expectancy that Argentina are easy-beats and Ireland will automatically be busy with an October 25 last-four date in London. A few key facts need mentioning four days out from the Millennium Stadium meeting with the Pumas: only one of the four 2011 pool winners won their quarterfinals and just two in 2007. And then there is Ireland’s awful quarter-final record to consider, five quarter-finals and five defeats. The losses of the invalided Paul O’Connell and Peter O’Mahony, the suspended Sean O’Brien, and the possibility of Johnny Sexton not making it considerably level the playing field against Argentina. Their frontliners have had their legs up since last Sunday week’s win over Tonga, and the Pumas, of course, like nothing better than ejecting Ireland from World Cups, as was the case in 1999 and 2007. Les Kiss knows this, even though the Australian defence coach only joined the Ireland set-up in 2008. ‘The last few times we played them they have they been tough, physical affairs,’ said Kiss. ‘We expect that, without a doubt, but the thing that they do show is a lot of skill,’ he said, listing off a series of dangers he will be looking to address with a focus on defence and ensuring Argentina go the way of France and are held tryless. ‘It you sit back and say we’ll cover this and that and then you take your eye off that one (player), it can hurt you quickly. We have a lot of respect for them. ‘We played them in Argentina last summer and it took forever to get to the result and we don’t expect any different in this game.’