Ronan O'Gara looks poised to get the nod at fly-half for Ireland in Sunday's vital clash with Italy, writes Gerry Thornley in the Irish Times.
"Half-back Ireland’s most pressing selection concern prior to Friday’s announcement of their team to play Italy in Sunday’s Pool C shoot-out, with Ronan O’Gara and perhaps even Conor Murray very much in line to face the Azzurri in the third match, at Dunedin’s Otago Stadium.
"Goal-kicking has become a significant issue for Ireland in their pool games and, oddly, this has been particularly true in the only two games played to date in the enclosed Otago Stadium, perhaps because of its open corners, or “drafts”. In any event, the overall return has been 13 from 31, or 42 per cent, with even Jonny Wilkinson struggling.
"Jonathan Sexton’s general game has been good, and he offers both more physicality in defence and a quicker running threat, but his return of five from 13, or 38 per cent, has contrasted sharply with O’Gara, who has landed 10 from 12, or 83.3 per cent.
"But for Sexton’s ratio, Ireland would have pushed clear sooner against both the USA and Australia, and Sexton’s missed conversion against Russia late on after replacing O’Gara against Russia only underlined their contrasting form off the tee."
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