Wellington: Ireland coach Declan Kidney surprisingly picked an unchanged team to face Wales in Saturday's Rugby World Cup quarter-final, with hooker Rory Best despite dislocating his shoulder last weekend.
Best's participation in the remainder of the tournament seemed to be in doubt after he damaged his right shoulder and had to be replaced in last weekend's 36-6 final pool win over Italy.
But while Sean Cronin is on standby to step into the front row for the game in Wellington, Kidney has not given up hope that Best could be fit with further treatment.
"In tournament football, you always have to take each day as it comes and he's made nothing but progress since Sunday," Kidney said. "If he keeps going at this rate then he has a chance."
Same reserves
Kidney even picked the same reserves, although Damien Varley will take Cronin's place on the bench if Best cannot play.
Varley only made it into the squad as an injury replacement for Jerry Flannery and could be joined in the 30-man group by Michael Sherry, who has been drafted in as unofficial cover so he is available for immediate confirmation should Best fail to recover.
Ronan O'Gara keeps his place ahead of Jonathan Sexton and Kidney said he had not agonised over the identity of his fly-half.
"We always go through a team one by one and we give each position the same consideration, and that's what we did," Kidney said. "We have a good squad and I'd be comfortable with any of the boys playing. The difficulty has been from the very start not so much who to play, as who not to play."
O'Gara got an huge ovation from the Ireland fans who dominated the Dunedin crowd for Sunday's win over Italy. In a covered stadium under which players including Jonny Wilkinson and Felipe Contepomi had struggled, O'Gara succeeded with six of his seven place kicks at goal and struck the post with the other. "I suppose the fact that he played well and he retains his place is the biggest compliment a coach can ever give," Kidney said.
Ireland and Wales have an even record in World Cup meetings, with one win apiece.
Having won their pool ahead of Tri-Nations champions Australia, Ireland are arguably favourites for the match but their players are not looking too far ahead.
"Why would you even contemplate thinking about a semi-final or the prospect of a final when you've got a quarter-final this weekend?" Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll said. "No, we've got way too much respect for Wales to be looking beyond them."
Team
Ireland: Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Gordon D'Arcy, Keith Earls, Ronan O'Gara, Conor Murray" Jamie Heaslip, Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris, Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan, Mike Ross, Rory Best, Cian Healy. Reserves: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Donnacha Ryan, Denis Leamy, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Andrew Trimble.
