Rugby World Cup 2019: Ireland play down Fukuoka pitch concerns for Samoa game

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By Michael Morrow
BBC Sport NI at Fukuoka
Ireland scrum coach Greg Feek says the side cant be fixated by potential playing surface issues during their final Pool A fixture against Samoa.
The Fukuoka pitch was relaid after the World Cup match and the USA, leading to concerns it could cut on Saturday.
A BBC Sport NI clip in Irish training on Friday revealed centre Chris Farrell competent to spoil a ball under the pitch.
We just try to rear the gamers, explained the Ireland scrum coach.
Trust that the pitch is going to perform its job and attempt to alleviate any issues when we are out there
Ireland require before Japan take on Scotland on Sunday a bonus-point win to be assured of a location.
The choice was taken after heavy rain nearly a couple of weeks past contributed to some surface, and this has hosted two matches at the tournament up to now.
While the expression of the turf might not be perfect, as expected with a very recent installment, we are confident the pitch will perform beautifully, said a World Rugby announcement.
However, Ireland coach Joe Schmidt appeared worried by the state of the playing surface at the captains of Ireland conduct training session Friday.
His disposition is unlikely to have been enhanced from the sight of Farrell hiding a rugby ball – though the players seemed to find the humorous side of this episode.
The Ireland boss spent minutes examining problematic bits of turf, demonstrating several areas to both scrum coach Feek and the head of operations Ger Carmody of Ireland.
When asked about Schmidts evident worries, Feek replied:You guys are quite smart individuals, and you would have observed the pitch
A strong Irish side has been termed in the hope without needing to rely upon Sundays result in Yokohama between their two Pool A competitions to enter their favour they can reserve their place in the last eight.
Together with the pitch inclined to significantly deteriorate as the game wears , Ireland will look for a quick start that their World Cup future could hinge scoring at least four tries.
We want to attempt to make sure that the scrums stay up, additional Feek.
Not only for safety but also for the game itself.
Schmidt has called an experienced side for the game, making 11 changes from the side which failed to sabotage against Russia past Thursday.
Wing Keith Earls is among those four gamers where hell act as the senior statesman in the back three alongside Jordan Larmour and Jacob Stockdale.
[The pitch] does not seem great to be fair, Earls.
In fact out there it is flat and very firm, it does not feel too awful to run on.
I guess it is likely to be the same for both groups and weve only got to go out there and get on with the task
Northern Irelands Euro 2020 eligibility hopes suffer a blow having an estimated 3-1 defeat.
Robbie Henshaw will play for the first time in this years Rugby World Cup having been named at outside centre for the final pool match against Samoa of Ireland.
Former Down All-Ireland winning director Pete McGrath says Eamonn Burns hadno agendas, no rear doors and played a key role in the countys victory in the 1990s.

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