RWC 15: The 10 most memorable Irish games at World Cups

• 1 - 1987 Ireland 46 Canada 19 - Carisbrook, Dunedin

It didn't turn out to be the most auspicious of World Cups for Ireland. Coach, the late Mick Doyle, suffered a heart attack and was incapacitated, while the haphazard and poorly focused nature of Irish preparations can be gauged from a decision to use The Rose of Tralee as a pre-match anthem. Ireland had lost their opening match of the tournament to Wales so the answer to the quiz question of Ireland's first ever victory in a Rugby World Cup is Canada. Keith Crossan (2), Michael Bradley, Brian Spillane, Trevor Ringland and Hugo MacNeill crossed the Canuck line. Ireland departed for home with a second victory, beating Tonga, before losing a quarter-final to Australia.

• 2 - 1991 Ireland 55 Zimbabwe 11 - Lansdowne Road

This match is memorable from an Irish context because elegant number eight Brian Robinson became the first Irishman to score four tries in a Test match. As an aside, the following March a well-known Irish company offered £1 million to any Irish player that scored four tries in the Six Nations match against Wales. None did but as you'll note in the listings later another Irishman, Keith Wood managed that feat, again at a World Cup (1999). It was very much a day for the Irish pack as loosehead prop Nick Popplewell chipped in with a brace while the home side's other try scorers were wing Simon Geoghegan and centre Dave Curtis. Ralph Keyes kicked 19 points.

• 3 - 1991 Ireland 18 Australia 19 - Lansdowne Road

Ireland captain Philip Matthews delivered a right hook to Australian number eight Willy Ofahengaue in the early throes of the contest that sparked a mass brawl. Scottish referee Jim Fleming said there were too many players involved to send off a single person. It was a snapshot of Ireland’s resolution not be take a backward step. The Wallabies led before Jack Clarke’s offload to the galloping Gordon Hamilton saw the Irish flanker evade the despairing tackle of Rob Egerton to score in the corner. Cue delirium. The Aussies response was to score a sumptuous try. David Campese made the crucial insertion and Michael Lynagh was on hand to touch down. Australian went on to win the World Cup.

• 4 - 1995 Ireland 19 New Zealand 43 - Ellis Park, Johannesburg

Gary Halpin's double-handed, single digit salute, while running backwards towards his own half, having scored the opening try of the match from a tap penalty is the abiding memory from the match. Halpin later said of his try. "Scoring the try was great. It was a planned move. The Kiwis expected Nick Popplewell to receive the pass as he was a big ball-carrier at that time; I got the pass and trundled over. The All Blacks responded with five tries through Jonah Lomu (2), Glen Osborne, Frank Bunce and Josh Kronfeld. Ireland only lost the try count 5-3 as Denis McBride and David Corkery also crossed the New Zealand line. The All Blacks lost the final to hosts, South Africa.

• 5 - 1995 Ireland 24 Wales 23 - Ellis Park, Johannesburg

There were a number of interesting sidebars to the game. Eddie Halvey was on as a blood replacement when he scored Ireland’s third try to go with those of Nick Popplewell and Denis McBride while Adrian Davies dropped a goal for Wales that should not have stood because the law had changed making it illegal to score from a direct sequence of play following a free kick. Mind you the laws were different in those days. Restarts were taken from the ground and a player was able to hoof the ball over the deadball line conceding just a drop out to the opposition. As far as the match was concerned, Ireland hung on at the end for dear life and subsequently lost out to France in the quarter-final.

• 6 - 2003 Ireland 64 Namibia 7 - Aussie stadium, Sydney

This might seem like a curious choice but it represents Ireland’s biggest every victory at a World Cup. Namibia had never lost to Ireland at that point having twice beaten them when hosting a tour in the summer of 2001. There was no fear of a repeat here though as Ireland ran in 10 tries despite thunderstorm conditions. Alan Quinlan (2), Eric Miller (2), Marcus Horan, John Kelly, Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan, Denis Hickie and Guy Easterby were the Irish try-scorers with Ronan O’Gara adding seven conversions. Namibian coach Dave Waterston said: “We did not give up trying and I think we went up another notch from our first performance.” In the match he’s talking about they lost 67-14 to Argentina.

• 7 - 2003 Ireland 16 Argentina 15 - Adelaide Oval

One word, "Lens", dominated the pre-match build-up as Ireland's 28-24 defeat to the Pumas in the 1999 Rugby World Cup remained a livid scar as it represents the only time that an Ireland side has failed to make the quarter-finals at a Rugby World Cup. Alan Quinlan scored the only try of the match and it was a bittersweet moment because he dislocated his shoulder in the process and that him out of the remainder of the tournament. Keith Wood, as he was so often, proved the catalyst in pouncing on a loose ball, bursting through and offloading to the supporting Quinlan. David Humphreys and Ronan 'Gara contributed the remaining points.

• 8 - 2003 Australia 17 Ireland 16 - Telstra Dome, Melbourne

In cataloguing some of Ireland’s near misses at World Cups this one would be vying for first place with the 1991 quarter-final defeat, coincidentally against the same opposition, Australia. Ireland trailed 14-6 when captain, Brian O’Driscoll tiptoed up the touchline, demonstrating remarkable balance and power to score in the corner. Ronan O’Gara kicked the conversion and at 14-13 with half an hour left it was game on. Elton Flately tagged on a penalty for the home side before O’Driscoll brought the bear minimum between the sides with a drop goal. Ireland could not find one more score and went on to lose tamely in a quarter-final against France; that was Keith Wood’s final game for his country.

• 9 - 2011 Ireland 15 Australia 6 - Eden Park, Auckland

A principal memory is the now sadly retired Stephen Ferris lifting Australian scrumhalf George Gregan and carrying him backwards at a rate of knots. Ireland totally dominated this match up front, a fact that was reflected in the number of penalties they won. Jonathan Sexton, kicked a brace and dropped a goal while Ronan O'Gara, a replacement for the injured Gordon D'Arcy landed two penalties late on. At one point Ireland were without their first choice centre pairing as Brian O'Driscoll went off injured but subsequently returned. The official man-of-the-match was Cian Healy, who was outstanding in every facet of the game against a team that were the reigning Tri-Nations champions.

• 10 - 2011 Ireland 36 Italy 6 - Otago stadium, Dunedin

The victory ensured that Ireland topped the pool. It was a nervy, scratchy affair in the opening half with Declan Kidney’s side just 9-6 in front at the interval but Ireland’s more coherent rugby in the second was rewarded with three tries, the first from Brian O’Driscoll and a couple from birthday boy Keith Earls. Ireland also had a couple of others, through Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney, chalked off. The match also had an element of controversy with Italian hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini appearing to make contact with the eyes of Ireland’s Cian Healy but referee Jonathan Kaplan didn’t see the incident. Ireland’s tournament aspirations were ruthlessly dashed by Wales in the quarter-final.