Two events are set to dominate Ireland’s attempt to put behind them their World Cup embarrassment of four years ago. The first is the emotion that is certain to the wrung out of the decision to put the United States’s opening match on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks; the second the return of Eddie O’Sullivan, the man who led Ireland in 2007, as the coach of the opposition.
The US is to mark the tragedy at a memorial service in the morning in New York, and there will be a minute’s silence before the match in New Plymouth, where the teams will be wearing black armbands. “It will be emotional,” O’Sullivan said.
However, he dismissed any idea that his return to face