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Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan is delighted to have \u201cX-factor\u201d wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe fit and ready to join him for a blockbuster World Cup quarter-final with the All Blacks.<\/p>\n
Hansen appeared to be a major doubt for Saturday\u2019s Stade de France clash after sitting out training on Tuesday and Wednesday due to a calf problem sustained in last weekend\u2019s 36-14 win over Scotland.<\/p>\n
Lowe has also overcome injury \u2013 an eye issue suffered against the Scots \u2013 to retain his starting role for the crunch meeting with his native New Zealand.<\/p>\n
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Ireland ended their final Pool B fixture in unfamiliar fashion with a scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park on the left flank and centre Garry Ringrose on the right.<\/p>\n
Head coach Andy Farrell has been able to name an unchanged starting XV for a titanic last-eight encounter, including a first-choice backline.<\/p>\n
\u201cIts brilliant,\u201d said Keenan. \u201cWe finished the game with an interesting back three.<\/p>\n
\u201cJamo did a brilliant job, didn\u2019t he? He is such a creative player, so exciting, so he slotted in well on the wing.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo have the two lads back again brings a bit of X-factor to the back three. I always enjoy playing with them so great news.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hansen on Tuesday watched from the stands at Ireland\u2019s training base of Stade des Fauvettes in the northern outskirts of Paris and was again absent on Wednesday, while Lowe took part in both sessions.<\/p>\n
Veteran Keith Earls was thought to be pushing for a first appearance since the opening weekend of the tournament before Farrell sprung a surprise with his team announcement.<\/p>\n
Referring to Australia-born Hansen, the coach said: \u201cEveryone is very confident that he\u2019s going to be fine for the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ireland propelled themselves to the top of the world rankings courtesy of last summer\u2019s landmark 2-1 tour success in New Zealand, in addition to launching their current run of 17 consecutive victories.<\/p>\n
Farrell\u2019s in-form side have enjoyed a growing rivalry with the All Blacks, winning three of four meetings during his tenure and four of six overall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t played them for over a year now,\u201d said Keenan. \u201cThey will have improved massively.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey will have taken the learnings from those games and they\u2019ll come out gunning for us as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Lock Tadhg Beirne, who started all three Tests against New Zealand in 2022, feels there is a healthy respect between the two nations.<\/p>\n
\u201cRugby is one of those games where, when you go on to the field, you go to beat the crap out of each other for 80 minutes and when you step off it, you\u2019re very happy to grab a beer with your opposition number and enjoy the moments afterwards,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s no different with New Zealand.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne thing I will remember from New Zealand is after the last Test, we had beaten them and we ran out of beer pretty quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe New Zealand squad were pretty quick to bring in their beer and leave us celebrating. That\u2019s respect too, off-field respect.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be no different on Saturday, we\u2019re both going to go at it for 80 minutes and we\u2019ll be very happy to walk in and have a beer in the changing room with them, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n