Conference Quotes: Eddie O’Sullivan, Shane Horgan

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan at Friday’s press conference

PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES: EDDIE O’SULLIVAN

– ON WHAT IRELAND HAVE TO DO TOMORROW –

“I think we have to defend well. I think Romania will hold on to the football and really come at us. We’re going to have to be quite physical to contain them.

“We also have to be more accurate with the football than we have been in the last couple of games, and that’ll be a big test for us because of the conditions.

“It will be a difficult day to keep the ball in hand, and the wind will determine how we play the game. The wind will be a big factor.”

– ON THE ROMANIAN TEAM –

“I think they have ten of the players that played against us in Gosford (at RWC2003) two years ago.

“The pack is very strong because they’re all playing in the French league. The front row is particularly formidable. (Petru) Balan, who plays with Biarritz is a very good ball-carrier, and I remember him being a real handful in Gosford.

“The number eight (Ovidiu Tonita) plays for Perpignan and is a very good footballer – Mick O’Driscoll knows him very well – so, they’ve a pretty solid side.

“They scrummage very well. They’ve a very good understanding of when to go after you in the scrum. They caught Scotland cold a couple of times this summer, and hoovered them off a few balls.

“So we’ve got to scrummage very well against them – there’s no two ways about that.”

Shane Horgan – Ireland’s try scorer against Australia – at Friday’s press conference

SHANE HORGAN:

– ON SATURDAY’S EARLY KICK-OFF OF 12.30PM –

“We’ll have to make changes to our routine. We usually have a breakfast and a pre-match meal, but I’m guessing they’re going to have to be combined into one, and it’ll be pasta for breakfast tomorrow so that’s something to look forward to!

“It’ll just be a case of getting up a bit earlier, and bring everything forward a few hours. It’s not ideal, but we have to get on with it.”

– ON THE EXPECTED WIN –

“I think everybody expects us to win this game, but we will be looking to also eliminate some of the errors that we’ve shown in the last couple of games.

“I think it’s important that we play with the style that we’re capable of. Unfortunately, the weather conditions are probably going to hinder us a little bit, but we’re hoping to really play well.

“It’s (Playing Romania) a different challenge to the one we’ve faced over the last two weeks. We’ve played two of the best sides in the world so to play a team that’s much further down in the World Rankings is a very different task.

“But, because of the way things have gone for us, this challenge is a significant one and one that we have to rise to tomorrow.”