VETERAN IRISH OUT-HALF Ronan O’Gara believes Ireland need to perform well at the upcoming Rugby World Cup in order to gain the world’s respect.

Despite winning the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2009 and recording several notable scalps over the years, Ireland have never performed consistently well at the World Cup during O’Gara’s playing career at international level.

But the Munster out-half is optimistic their fortune will change in the upcoming World Cup, telling reporters: “With Ireland we haven’t earned that respect at world level. It’s up to us to try and earn it.”

O’Gara acklowledges that the side performed below expectations in the warm-up matches, but feels the positive mood in the camp since their arrival in New Zealand will make a big difference:

“During the warm-up games we were mentally off-pitch. Since we’ve arrived here I’ve noticed a difference in attitude among the players. That will count for an awful lot and it will be interesting to see how we go in the first game.”

The player was unable to give a definitive explanation as to why the team have performed in such an underwhelming manner of late, but gave a number of possible reasons for their inability to record a single victory in their warm-up games.”

“Maybe we viewed the warm-up games as trials while other countries saw them as full on Test matches. England were hurting from their defeat in March. They came out with a point to prove and proved it.

Ireland begin their World Cup campaign this Sunday against USA.

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