With Japan ripping up the script in Pool B and England bombing out in spectacular fashion in Pool A, Pool D has been immensely serene in comparison.

While Romania and Canada have provided entertaining back stories, the two teams at the business end of things have quietly been getting it done, just as everyone expected them to. And it has set up a grandstand finish, with the winner of this final game avoiding New Zealand in the quarter-finals and an altogether tougher route to the final.

IRELAND

There are two surprising omissions from the Ireland team, with both Jared Payne and Iain Henderson missing out. Payne’s absence is almost definitely injury-enforced, with the centre believed to have played very little rugby this week after damaging his foot. Keith Earls retains the 13 shirt in his absence and has the unenviable task of stopping a fired up Mathieu Bastareaud.

Henderson, however, has been Ireland’s single best performer at this World Cup and his banishment to the bench has raised eyebrows. Devin Toner comes in and will undoubtedly shore up the lineout (although the set piece has hardly been a weakness so far) but the Ulsterman’s relentlessly aggressive carrying, not to mention his surprisingly nuanced technique at the breakdown, will be sorely missed.

Elsewhere in the pack it is business as usual in the back-row, where the excellent O’Mahony-O’Brien-Heaslip triumvirate continues, and in the front row Cian Healy starts with Rory Best and Mike Ross. Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton are as well-oiled a half-back pairing as you will find, while in the back three there is plenty of power and finishing ability, not to mention three men who will scrap for every single high ball that Sexton puts up: Tommy Bowe and the brothers Kearney.

One to watch: Conor Murray

When on song, the Munster scrum-half is one of, if not the, best in the world. The problem last week against Italy, was that he was some way from his best. He is the epitome of the all-round scrum-half – strong, assertive, with excellent technical skills both kicking and passing. Johnny Sexton’s ability to control a game with the aplomb that he can is intrinsically linked to how Murray plays – if he gets good ball, Ireland will be on top.

FRANCE

France’s team screams POWER. For the most part, they have picked big lumps who will test the resolve of the Irish defence – none more so than Mathieu Bastareaud in the 13 shirt who, despite looking lither than he has for some time, still has a hefty 30kg advantage over opposite man Keith Earls.

There are two men that buck this trend in the French XV – Freddie Michalak at fly-half and Brice Dulin on the wing. Dulin is a fizzing winger, all quick feet and rapid movement to Noa Nakaitaci’s more languid style on the other wing. They join Scott Spedding, who is immensely entertaining to watch from fullback, mainly because he seems to just be working so hard whenever he sprints.

In the pack the sublime Louis Picamoles wins his 50th cap, and frankly it is a wonder that a man with such deft hands to go with his brawn has not won more. Thierry Dusautoir will run himself into the ground in the captaincy role as ever, while it is a young propping duo in Rabah Slimani and Eddy Ben Arous that will look to get the better of the more experienced Healy and Ross.

One to watch: Freddie Michalak

Michalak, down the years, has epitomised the French rugby side: when on form, very good, but when not, oh so bad. It is an ominous sign, then, that he seems to be hitting his straps for this World Cup. He takes the ball to the line brilliantly, and that brings out the best in one of the game’s top centres – Wesley Fofana. And reading a piece about him in Rugby World recently, it seems he has worked immensely hard at his kicking both from hand and tee, the legacy of spending time with a certain Mr Wilkinson at Toulon. It has paid off and the more mature Michalak is playing the best rugby of his career.

PREDICTION

It was hugely instructive to read Gordon D’Arcy’s column this week, in which he claimed Ireland’s sub-par performance against Italy was all part of the plan. In much the same way that Australia had not shown their hand too early and then played all their cards to demolish England, so Ireland have been holding themselves back for this fixture against France.

Personally, I’m not so sure. While Keith Earls will provide a certain zest in the wide spaces, it would be a surprise to see the ball run through the hands to him too often. More likely, the aerial prowess of the French wingers will likely be under fierce scrutiny as Sexton and Murray pepper them with bombs for the Kearneys and Tommy Bowe to get under.

It is a tried and tested tactic for Joe Schmidt’s Ireland and one that has brought them success against France at the last two times of asking. Ireland certainly have the potential to open the game up, but far more likely is that they will look just to do enough and top the pool. Ireland by 6.

By Jamie Hosie
Follow Jamie on Twitter: @jhosie43

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images