Coach Kidney goes for Best in line-up

The rate of recovery shown by Ireland hooker Rory Best since injuring his shoulder against Italy on Sunday has encouraged Ireland coach Declan Kidney to provisionally name him in the side to play Wales in the quarter-final at Wellington Regional Stadium on Saturday.

"He's made nothing but progress since Sunday. If he keeps going at this rate then he has a chance," Kidney said.

If Best passes a fitness test later in the week, Ireland will play with an unchanged team for the first time at a Rugby World Cup. If not, Sean Cronin will go into the starting line-up and Damien Varley will join the 22 as reserve hooker.

Kidney has retained the experienced Ronan O'Gara at fly half after he took over from Jonathan Sexton midway through the pool stage and said it was one of several difficult choices selectors had to make.

"We have a good squad and I'd be comfortable with any of the boys playing. The difficulty has been from the very start not so much who to play, as who not to play," Kidney said.
Centres Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll extend their world record to 47 matches together, while second row pairing Donncha O'Callaghan and Paul O'Connell will play together for Ireland for the 43rd time.

The Ireland back row trio of Stephen Ferris (6), Sean O'Brien (7) and Jamie Heaslip (8) have been lauded as possibly the world's best at present, but Ireland captain O'Driscoll says they're not letting that go to their heads.

Unchanged approach

"On their day they're definitely a world class trio. But they know they have improvements to make in their game as well.

"It's always nice getting plaudits from people outside, but at the same time I don't think it'll affect their mindset. I don't think they'll be letting all the chat about them affect their performances in any way."

Asked whether quarter-final matches will inevitably be less expansive than the pool matches, O'Driscoll said the state of the match and the conditions will determine how they're played.

"You have to do what gets you across the line, what wins games for you," O'Driscoll said.

"I think it's about playing pressure rugby, not necessarily deciding on one type of brand that you're going to play before the game. You have to feel your way into games and understand what it takes to build that pressure into getting points.

"A big factor too is going to be conditions and how much of an expansive game the weather allows you to play."

Ireland have never got past the quarter-final stage in four attempts, losing to Australia and France (both twice). If they do so this time, they will extend their best winning streak at a Rugby World Cup to five matches.