Girvan Dempsey knows the tension stars felt before the World Cup squad announcement

• BY DAIRE WALSH

As a World Cup veteran Girvan Dempsey can identify with the emotions the Irish squad was feeling last night.

Joe Schmidt’s final squad was unveiled today,and Dempsey recalled the excitement and nerves that will have filled the camp.

The 82-times capped full-back played at the 2003 and 2007 tournaments and is now a coach with Leinster.

He said: “From my own experience, you’ve got to the stage where you are a bit nervous waiting for the final selection, apprehensive that you’ve got your name on that list of 31 players.

“But I think all the work is done and they are itching to get going. Once that 31 is announced, then it’s the excitement of the tournament.

“If you look at this group of players, through the pre-season they seem to be very well prepared.

“They seem to be well conditioned.

“And I don’t think as a team or a collective they have shown too much. They have kept their cards very close to their chest.

“They are match hardened and ready. I’d imagine they were very disappointed at the loss to Wales but I’d say they learned a huge amount from it.”

Before they start their World Cup campaign against Canada on September 19, Ireland will take part in a final warm-up with England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Dempsey said Schmidt will try to win and added: “Ideally you go into every match – no matter what it is – to win it.”

Ireland lost all of their warm-up clashes leading into the 2011 Rugby World Cup before topping their pool in New Zealand with four wins from four.

And returning Leinster star Isa Nacewa, who appeared as sub for Fiji against Scotland in the 2003 finals, feels that the preparation games are largely forgotten about once the World Cup gets under way.

He added: “Nobody remembers what happens in the warm-ups. It’s not about that, it’s about the first game of the World Cup.”