Pool C review: Irish reign, Wallabies in pain

The defining episode of Pool C was played out before a crowd of almost 60,000 on a stormy night at Eden Park on 17 September.

A bloody-minded Ireland's enthralling victory over the highly fancied Australia produced an upset that set Rugby World Cup 2011 alight - and helped to make the knockout stages a north-south hemisphere divide.

It needed full-time to be called on the last of all the pool matches on Sunday night to confirm that these two would progress to the quarter-finals, but the Irish knew they had staked their claim in style.

Captain Brian O'Driscoll acknowledged that the type of resilience his team displayed against the Wallabies could prove decisive as the tournament progresses.

"We've managed to deliver at crucial times and we've managed to get into a place where we're playing Wales for a semi-final spot," he said after Sunday's win over Italy took them to top of the pool. "That's all we could have hoped for."

Despite very different build-ups to the tournament, Australia and Ireland got off to tentative starts.

Potent backline

Fresh from their Tri Nations triumph, the Wallabies were first into the fray and surprised many by being tied 6-6 at half-time against Italy after sloppy handling prevented their potent backline from firing.

But the introduction of James O'Connor off the bench and the Azzurri's tiring legs saw them run in four tries to collect the bonus point with a 32-6 win.

The Irish, who had lost four warm-up games in succession, also struggled to click into gear in their first match against USA before wing Tommy Bowe scored two tries and Rory Best grabbed another in a 22-10 win.

In midweek Russia were outclassed by USA on their Rugby World Cup debut, losing 13-6 in the lowest-scoring World Cup match since Australia beat England 12-6 in the 1991 final.
Then came the showdown at Eden Park. The bookies were offering 7-1 against the Irish, but they showed their mettle from the outset.

Despite boasting one of the slickest back lines in the tournament, the Wallabies struggled to live up to their billing and the Irish got home on the back of four penalties and a drop goal amid driving rain.

Dumb rugby

As much as full back Kurtley Beale tried to weave his magic, Ireland stood firm with a defence that refused to buckle in a compelling 15-6 win.

"It was the performance we knew we had in us," said O'Driscoll.

Wallabies skipper James Horwill said: "We played some dumb rugby. We were not good enough."

The defeat, which effectively consigned Australia to a quarter-final against reigning champions South Africa, also reinforced their Eden Park curse: they have not won a Test match at the venue in 25 years.

Italy showed they had useful backs as well as their much-vaunted forwards when they recorded their first points of RWC 2011 by defeating Russia 53-17.

Injury carnage

A 27-10 victory over USA in their next match earned the bonus point necessary to force an eliminator against Ireland, who ran in nine tries to beat Russia 62-12.

Australia returned to winning ways with a 67-5 victory over USA, but the bruising match took a heavy toll with injuries reducing them to 14 men in what coach Robbie Deans described as "carnage".

Deans was forced to field a makeshift team against Russia, with veteran flanker Radike Samo playing on the wing. The Wallabies won 68-22 although it was not without further mishap, double-try scorer Drew Mitchell suffering a hamstring tear that ended his tournament.

"That's unfortunate for him and unfortunate for us," said Deans.

"Fortunately we have four backs coming back to us next week so that will eliminate that pressure."

The match marked the successful return from injury of influential flanker David Pocock, who had missed the Ireland clash with a late back injury. He will be a vital weapon when the Wallabies take on South Africa in Wellington on Sunday.

One of Ireland's weapons in the knockouts will be the sea of green that turned out for their match with Italy in Dunedin, where they needed to avoid defeat to qualify.

Colossal battle

Outgoing Italy coach Nick Mallett had promised a colossal forward battle as his side attempted to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.

Although the Azzurri managed to restrict the Irish to a 9-6 half-time lead, O'Driscoll's men blasted out of the blocks after the break and scored three tries, including two by birthday-boy Keith Earls, on their way to a 36-6 victory.

"We knew we were going to have to be patient, as you do against any Test team these days," said O'Driscoll, who confessed to being blown away by the Irish support.

"That was the best, seeing rows of green everywhere you look. Our job is to give them something to cheer about, and they got behind us in spades."

Mallett warned Ireland's prospective opponents: "They are capable of knocking off any team. I don't think any team will be confident playing them."