RUGBY: It's hard to credit that, of their own volition, Ireland will be going into Sunday's quarter-final without Anthony Foley, writes Gerry Thornleyin Melbourne.

A natural-born winner and one of the acknowledged team leaders, this is in effect the first time he's been dropped in four years. And for the biggest game in four years at that. It'll be eating away inside.

Ever since being reincarnated at Test level after the last World Cup, Foley had become a fixture in the side. He is the only back-rower and one of only six players to have started each of the last four meetings with France - three of which Ireland won.

He's missed only eight of Ireland's last 46 Tests, seven of those recently while injured. Therein lies the rub, for the reasons for his omission are probably threefold, and the first of those is related to Foley's relative lack of match practice. As a result, Foley's form has dipped a tad by his consistently high standards.

Some of his fringe tackling against Australia was immense, yet, totally out of character, he spilled two balls at a time when Ireland were going through the phases, and he was tiring by the time he was hauled off. He's not quite match-hardened, which is hardly surprising in that he's started only four games since that Grand Slam decider just over six months ago, and hasn't completed any of them.

The second reason is the need for some potent ball-carrying. For Ireland to overcome France, they'll probably have to put the French, and particularly their back row, on the back foot - as they did in the 15-12 win in Dublin last March. Cue Victor Costello, who is fit again and has been recalled.

Thirdly, there's the all-round work rate and defensive strength of Simon Easterby, and, crucially, his lineout ability. In terms of the back row's balance, Keith Gleeson remains as the openside, so in effect it is Easterby who has replaced Foley as the only change from the trio which played virtually throughout the Six Nations.

Hailing Costello's performances in the World Cup and the horses-for-courses policy with regard to the back row, coach Eddie O'Sullivan maintained this was the best back-row combination for this match, though he admitted: "It's very tough, to be honest, to leave a player of Anthony Foley's calibre out of the team.

"Anthony Foley, for me, is one of the best rugby brains in the back row in the world. He's a phenomenal reader of the game, and he's been a stalwart for us in the last few years in the back row."

If Ireland were to reach the semi-finals, O'Sullivan said the door will open up again for the back-row contenders, but the problem for Foley will remain a lack of match practice.

"It's a tough call," admitted O'Sullivan, "but having spoken to Anthony Foley about it, no better man to deal with it. He was on his toes in training like nothing had ever happened. He's a consummate professional and that's a testament to the guy we're dealing with here."

The other change sees John Kelly, as expected, replace the departed Denis Hickie, with the former's spot on the bench going to Anthony Horgan. O'Sullivan might even have been tempted to name this week's call-up, Tyrone Howe, who has scored tries in each of Ulster's last five games.

But that could have sent out the wrong message to the fringe members of the squad, and with Eric Miller retaining his place on the bench, like another Lions call-up in David Wallace, Howe finds himself outside the 22.

There's another clear shift in gear as the tournament cranks up for knockout rugby.

As O'Sullivan said yesterday: "This is all-or-nothing stuff," adding, "I don't think it changes what we've achieved. I think we've had a good World Cup but we're not happy with this. As a team we feel there's more there for us if we get it right.

"Being in the pool of death cost me a few hours sleep to be honest, but we knew that if came out the far side of it we would have a pretty good gauge of our worth, whereas I'm not sure if other teams in the quarter-finals are as clear in their minds as to where they are."

The other advantage is having an extra two days' rest, leading O'Sullivan to conclude: "It's a good place to be, having survived it. It's now to your advantage."

Ireland have the additional advantage of having played in the enclosed Telstra Dome last week, whereas France haven't, and O'Sullivan admits it's been comforting to know in advance exactly what the conditions will be like.

Factor in the momentum Ireland have generated in Melbourne, and the expansion of the so-called Blarney Army, and it's as near to a "home" game as Ireland could have hoped for.

For the fifth game running Ireland have a Southern Hemisphere referee, but the appointment of Jonathan Kaplan clearly doesn't prompt as much agitation within the Irish ranks as Paddy O'Brien's did last week.

"I actually am very happy," O'Sullivan said in relation to the choice of Kaplan. "We've had Jonathan a few times. We had him in the first game of Rugby World Cup against Romania and I thought he did a very good job in that game, and we had him in the Grand Slam game, and although we got a bit of a pounding in the end I thought he called a great game in what was a huge pressure match."

O'Sullivan believes Kaplan is one of the top referees in the world for two reasons. "One is his consistency of interpretation, and (secondly) is his ability to communicate with the players. In our experience of him he's always been that."

If Sunday's game finishes level after 80 minutes then, as is the case with all knockout matches, two 10-minute periods of extra time will be played. If still unresolved, there would be a further 10 minutes of sudden death - where the first team to make any score wins.

If still tied, the match will be decided by a drop-kick competition involving five nominated players from each side.