Stadium: Irish rugby impressed by progress

Ireland Rugby Football Union team manager Paul McNaughton (left), team services manager Gerard...
Ireland Rugby Football Union team manager Paul McNaughton (left), team services manager Gerard Carmody and Forsyth Barr Stadium chief executive David Davies (right) tour the construction site yesterday. Photo by Craig Baxter.
Ireland Rugby Football Union team services manager Gerard Carmody gave the Forsyth Barr Stadium the thumbs-up yesterday after a brief visit to the construction site.

Ireland will be based in Dunedin during the early stages of the 2011 Rugby World Cup and has a pool C match against Italy in the city on October 2.

That game has been pencilled in for Carisbrook but is expected to be played at the new $200 million stadium in Awatea St.

Carmody told the Otago Daily Times he was impressed with progress and was told construction was running to schedule and expected to be completed in time for the tournament.

"It is very impressive. I was here last October and it was a flat site at the time," he said.

"There has been massive progress since then so it is looking really, really good."

Ostensibly, Carmody is in New Zealand for the one-off test against the All Blacks in New Plymouth on Saturday night, but he popped down to Dunedin on a scouting mission ahead of the World Cup.

Ireland will train at Carisbrook, the University Oval and the Edgar Centre, facilities Carmody described as "very, very good".

"They certainly meet all the needs of the Irish team. The Edgar Centre has fantastic indoor facilities. So in the event of bad weather we'd use it for lineout practice or maybe some back play moves."

Carmody said everything was within 10 or 15 minutes drive in Dunedin, so getting around the city would be a breeze.

The reconnaissance was largely a success except on one important level.

Asked who served the best Guinness in the city, Carmody responded: "I haven't tried any [here] but I'm looking forward to trying some, though."

And the other big question: can the Irish beat the All Blacks? Carmody kicked for touch on that one.

"We always look forward to the challenge of the All Blacks and the boys are pretty pumped up for it."

The teams have met on 22 occasions with the All Blacks dominating proceedings. The best Ireland managed was a 10-10 draw in 1973.

But recent matches between the teams suggest a close game.

 

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