O’Connell expects 'incredibly tough game' from Wales
With a narrow defeat to South Africa the only blemish in Wales’ World Cup 2011 campaign thus far, Paul O’Connell expects an intense challenge against Warren Gatland’s men in the quarter final.
Yesterday’s convincing 36-6 victory over Italy marked another historic chapter in Irish rugby as they topped a World Cup pool for the first time ensuring a quarter final draw which avoided all southern hemisphere opposition.
Having put up impressive scores against Namibia and Fiji, Wales enter the quarter final fixture in top form and O’Connell expects a serious test.
"It will be an incredibly tough game. Wales are very confident and playing some great rugby,” he told ITV Sport.
"They seem to have put up a big score again tonight (against Fiji). They came through a very tough pool.
“We know each other so well from the Celtic League, the Heineken Cup and the Six Nations. We have a really tough battle ahead."
It was well documented that Ireland entered the tournament in terrible form on the back of four straight defeats and positioned eighth in the IRB World Rankings.
A shock victory over Australia has transformed Ireland’s prospects in the World Cup, with Declan Kidney’s side widely fancied to make the final - but O’Connell insists Ireland must maintain their work rate to replicate their more recent performances.
"It came together against Australia and it came together in the second half today. I think a lot of work goes into it, a lot of preparation both mentally and physically.
"We can't take that for granted. If we do take it for granted we will be a poor side. When we do get those little bits right and we get the basics right we are a very good side that can beat anyone."
