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Ireland against Italy - "It's a knockout game for us"

Sunday, October 04 2015 by SNTV
  • Ireland trained at the Olympic Stadium in London on Saturday (3rd October), preparing for the following day's Rugby World Cup Pool D game with Italy.

    Script:

    SOUNDBITE: (English) Paul O'Connell, Ireland captain:

    "I can't remember a World Cup before where.... as a team or as a group we've sat around, on couches and watched the games and I think that's built it, excitement the third week in it for us now. But, definitely there's a feeling of knockout rugby for us this week and obviously opponents that we're really familiar with and they're really familiar with us as well."

    SOUNDBITE: (English) Les Kiss, Ireland assistant coach:

    "What is important to remember is that Italy are (a) very resilient team, in defence. It takes a lot to break them down. So we need to do the work in the right areas to open up the space for those two guys (half backs Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton) and if we do give them space we know how dangerous they can be, but we have to open up space for them."

    SOUNDBITE: (English) Les Kiss, Ireland assistant coach (on facing Italy's forward pack):

    "I've no doubt we will be battered up front and pushed to the limits. They're always, incredibly physical games against, Italy. They always have a big emphasis on their scrum, big emphasis on their maul, they're defence is really tough. Obviously they've (Sergio) Parisse back, who'll be a, I think a big galvanising force for them"

    SOUNDBITE: (English) Paul O'Connell, Ireland captain (on how highly he rates Italy captain Sergio Parisse):

    "He is, I think, a little bit like Johnny Sexton or a Sean O'Brien or Jamie Heaslip. I think he makes people believe around him, 'cause he believes himself so much. I suppose Brian O'Driscoll would have done that a lot for Ireland in the earlier days."

    SOUNDBITE: (English) Paul O'Connell, Ireland captain (on the competition for places within the Ireland squad):

    "It's a brilliant place to be in. It actually.... I suppose we talk about our preparation during the week all the time. It seems like a bit of a mantra to us, but that competitiveness in training.... leads us to preparing very well."

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