World Ranking: 8

COACH: Warren Gatland. Former Waikato and All Blacks hooker galvanised first Galwegians and then Connacht before taking over from Brian Ashton in February of last year. Immediately shored up porous defence and eradicated heavy defeats by developing solid defence and structured game. Has steadily sought to expand Ireland's running game around those foundations, with World Cup as his primary objective.

TACTICAL TURN: Good first-choice team, capable of rising to the occasion, but this is offset by lack of real strength in depth and traditional inconsistency. Good pack, very strong in the set-pieces if inconsistent in supplying quick ruck ball. Built initially on strong defence and percentage, kicking game, with the emergence of David Humphreys and latterly Brian O'Driscoll, Ireland have undoubtedly developed more of a threat out wide.

STAR TURN: David Humphreys. In the last year has finally become the player his talents always suggested he could be. Responsibility of captaining Ulster and improved physique brought the best out of him and his emergence as Irish out-half broadened the team's horizons. Carries a big load, and Ireland need him injury-free, on top of his game and kicking well.

VERDICT: Harder to gauge than ever before. The quarter-finals are the benchmark from previous tournaments, but to equal that they will either need to beat Australia in the pool stages or else overcome tricky Lens play-off against best third-placed country. Another quarter-final seems likely but if they arrive in full health at the last eight then they have potentially the best chance yet of reaching semis.

FINAL THOUGHTS: "I think we can definitely make the last four, and any- thing can happen from there on in. But it's very important that we get a good start in the first game to give us the confidence to go all the way."

- Dion O'Cuinneagain (Ireland captain)