RUGBY/WOMEN'S WORLD CUP/Ireland v Kazakhstan:ASK GILLIAN Bourke what she wants as a 26th birthday present and the Ireland hooker has no hesitation in replying "a first ever Womens World Cup semi final for the Irish".

Bourke turns 26 today as Ireland face Kazakhstan needing a high-scoring bonus point victory to keep that dream alive. Ireland’s fate, though, is not entirely in their own hands. They need Australia and South Africa to deny each other a bonus point win in Pool A, and for Canada to beat France in Pool C.

“It would be the nicest birthday present I could share with everybody. The way I look at it is I’ll still be 26 on Sunday – I mightn’t be in the semi-final of a World Cup on Sunday. Forget about my birthday for one day, there’s a big match on,” said Bourke.

Coach Philip Doyle has made two changes to the starting line-up from the team that beat the USA. Scrum-half Tania Rosser, who picked up a shoulder injury during that game, is replaced by Louise Beamish. Eliza Downey, making her first appearance of the competition, has been named on the wing.

Although Kazakhstan have been put to the sword by the USA and England, Bourke says Ireland will be taking nothing for granted.

“There is pressure because everyone expects you to beat them by 50 or 60 points when other teams have done it. We’ve watched videos of their matches and we’ve done our analysis and they’re a very tough team,” she said.

IRELAND: N Briggs (Clonmel); A Davis (Blackrock), J O’Sullivan (Richmond), L Cantwell (UL Bohemians), E Downey (Cooke); H Brosnan (Highfield), L Beamish (UL Bohemian); F Coghlan (UL Bohemians), G Bourke (UL Bohemians), L Austin (UL Bohemians), K O’Loughlin (Clonmel), ML Reilly (Navan), O Brennan (Blackrock), C Molloy (Bristol), J Neville (UL Bohemians). Replacements: Y Nolan (Blackrock), L Guest (Highfield), C Staunton (Galwegians), S Ryan (Blackrock), J Shiels (Richmond), S Houston (Blackrock), M Kelly (UL Bohemians).