Ireland and Italy have both spent the past few days discussing the merits of their respective scrums, but Italy coach Nick Mallett is eager for his players to show they have more than setpiece power and deserve to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
"We're not a one-trick pony, not just a scrummaging side," Mallett said. "It's the right moment to say 'we've scored more tries than Ireland against the same opposition.' "We've conceded more but we certainly have a reasonable attacking side as well." But while Italy leads Ireland 13 tries to 12 after matches against Australia, Russia and the United States, unbeaten Ireland currently has the advantage with the only statistic that will count after Sunday's game: Pool C competition points.
Ireland salvaged a 13-11 win over Italy in this year's Six Nations through a late dropped goal by Ronan O'Gara.
But while Italy can draw confidence from having come so close, that match less than nine months ago should ensure there is no complacency on Ireland's part as it goes for a 16th straight win over the Italians.
"Each game against them in the last 4-5 years has been getting harder and harder," Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll said. "We really had to pull it out the bag to beat them in Rome.
"We always thought we could beat Australia but it hasn't made the group any different. We still have to beat Italy in the final game." Ireland was already favorite to advance from Pool C alongside Australia on the back of that recent record against Italy, which recorded the last of its three victories over Ireland back in 1997. The upset victory over the Wallabies on Sept. 17 confirmed that status and prompted many fans and commentators to start plotting a potential all northern-hemisphere route to the final for Ireland.
But O'Driscoll said rather than feeling the weight of extra expectation, the players had been liberated by that first World Cup win over Australia in five attempts.
"We totally realize that it hasn't changed anything," O'Driscoll said. "I don't see how winning games increases the pressure on you. If anything, we're more relaxed in our skin that we put together the performance against Australia we know we're capable of." Ireland comprehensively dominated Australia at the scrum in wet conditions but Mallett declared the Italian scrum stronger still immediately after his side's 27-10 win over the United States on Tuesday.
"I don't regret what I said. There isn't a single team we haven't been good against in the scrum," Mallett said. "It's not an arrogant comment, it's a realistic comment.
"They got three scrum penalties against Australia, but that was without Stephen Moore and in my not-so humble opinion he's much more important to Australia than any other player on the field because without him their pack isn't half as effective." As confident as they are in their own scrum after denying the injury-hit Wallabies any momentum, Ireland's players are wary of what is still Italy's most potent weapon.
"From the Irish point of view, we've got to focus on ourselves and not be drawn into battles on only one aspect of the game," said backrow Denis Leamy, who is among Ireland's replacements. "We always get dragged into a physical contest with them.
"You wake up next morning knowing you've been in a test match, and it takes a couple of days to get the game out of your system." Although several players impressed in Ireland's 62-12 win over Russia last weekend, Ireland coach Declan Kidney picked O'Gara at flyhalf and Conor Murray — for just his second international start at scrumhalf — in the only changes to the side that beat Australia two weeks ago.
Ireland's all-time leading scorer with 1,054 points — a total bettered in international rugby by only Dan Carter and Jonny Wilkinson — the 114-times capped O'Gara was a steadier option than the younger Jonathan Sexton.
But Kidney denied he had picked him at No. 10 purely for the kicking that salvaged Ireland's win in Rome back in February.
"I don't think I've ever in my life picked a guy just for his place kicking," Kidney said. "Ronan's playing well." Mallett picked the side he originally wanted to start against the Americans, with fullback Andrea Masi returning to the lineup in place of Luke McLean after recovering from the calf complaint that forced his late withdrawal from that match.
