Catt, Sheehan, Doris chat ahead of the All Black clash

Mike Catt, assistant coach

On if winger Mack Hansen came through training:

"Yep, everybody is fit. Mack was as looking as sprightly as ever."

On Hansen wearing strapping on his calf:

"He is all good, running freely."

On James Ryan and Robbie Henshaw being back in training:

"James is doing well. You saw Robbie and James out there at training. They are progressing really nicely and would be available for next week."

On the prospect of equalling the men's elite-level record of 18 consecutive test wins, held by New Zealand and England:

"To be honest, no. It's never spoken about in our circle. Stuff like that, world rankings and all that stuff, doesn't come into the occasion. It's about us and the performance that we need to be proud of."

On preparation for extra-time and if he has asked extra players to practise penalty kicks:

"We have spoken about it. The players know who they are. Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Beirne (laughs). They've definitely put in an extra couple of hours. No, it's one of those. Players are aware of it but it's a long way to get to that situation. You'd like to think with the golden point now, compared to what it was in the past, that with extra-time then golden point that, in that 10 minutes, one side would take their opportunity.

"The players who are on the pitch will know who they are and fingers crossed we put them through the middle."

On what he is expecting from the All Blacks: 

"What we've seen is the good All Blacks of old, really. Exceptionally dangerous ball-in-hand. Joe [Schmidt] has definitely brought a physicality at the breakdown and their ball carrying. Obviously, it was something that Joe was massively passionate about with Ireland as well, especially in the wide breakdowns.

"They put a lot of pressure in those areas, so it's making sure that we match them physically but being tactically good in the same breath. Across the board they have a hell of a lot of experience, even coming off the bench - you know, Sam Whitelock - these guys that have hundreds of caps really. 

"They are very experienced and know exactly what they need to do to win these big occasions. It's going to be a great test match and we're looking forward to it."

On what sets these Ireland backs apart from previous generations: 

"Just good rugby players ultimately, they love the game. Also, what we have shown over the past three, four years is the togetherness of the backs, like the forwards, as a team, really. Our togetherness is huge and we fully understand what we are trying to achieve. The players fully understand what they need to achieve, or want to achieve and now it's up to them to perform and make sure that happens. 

"But all different types of background - Gaelic [GAA, Gaelic football], whether it's Aussie Rules for a Mack [Hansen] or something like that. But ultimately, they are nice and calm and their decision-making has been very, very good recently. That's what we base it on, being calm enough to make the right decisions and the skill becomes easy."

On New Zealand's decision to drop winger Mark Tele'a:

"I am not sure. I don't know any detail. Obviously, they have certain protocols in place the players need to adhere to and they've done it accordingly. It would be wrong of me to say anything without actually knowing anything about it. That's their choice." 

On the winning journey Ireland have been on to reach this point:

"We'll find out in the result, won't we? It's been an amazing journey, the boys have been incredible, where they've come from, where we've got to, how we've learnt as a group of coaches as well. We've put in some really big performances and it's moments like tomorrow night that we need to step up and perform again.

"We are massively proud of it. It doesn't mean you're going to win a game but we know if we put in a performance [like] what we've achieved over the past two, three years then you give yourself a chance, and ultimately that's what international rugby is about.

"It's been a brilliant journey, it's been an amazing journey. So, let's see how long it continues."

Dan Sheehan, hooker

On not having mental baggage of not getting beyond quarter-finals:

"It's a completely new squad. Our mindset is different. I have no experience of earlier squads. You treat it like another game. It's knock-out rugby.

"You can build these games up as much as you want but it can end up affecting you if it creates too much tension. We need to stick to our preparation.  We have been doing it for the last three years, pretty consistently at a good level. In my head, and most of the squad's head, it's going to be same old test rugby. You're in an Irish jersey, you've got to go on."

On keeping focus and scoring a try after being pushed over advertising hoarding against Scotland:

"It's something we put a lot of focus on. Obviously don't get thrown over [the hoarding] first. We talk about re-setting, getting back to neutral zone. That's been a big part of the squad, when anything unexpected happens, if we score a try or they score a try, making sure we are straight back in the moment. We always talk about winning the next moment.

"That's something that maybe wasn't exactly like that case [against Scotland]. But it's something we put a massive focus on as you can let things slip, momentum builds and all of a sudden two or three tries might slip in. If we can limit it to just the one mistake then get back on top, that's what it's about."

On Ireland drawing on the experience of winning the Grand Slam versus England in March:

"Those sort of games where it's win or die are extremely valuable. You've got to go out and perform. That probably wasn't our best game at all. We took a good review from that game and we saw a lot of areas we could have improved on.

"But when it comes down to it, you just have to figure out how to win the game. If tomorrow goes to the end or we have extra-time or anything, you've got to just make sure you win the game. There's obviously a few plans in place to make sure we don't get to that point and we hope that we are in a position that we don't have to scramble or that we perform on the day.

"But I think looking back on those sort of hard times where we didn't perform but then came out on top is vital." 

On the impact this Irish team is having back home: 

"We said at the start of the competition we want to go the whole way. We think we have the squad to do it. We can't look past tomorrow but I think. The pride of being in this squad, it extends further than me, family, friends, the amount of people I have travelling over every week just to see me for two seconds after the game. I know they come over for a bit of a party but I think it's great to bring a bit of enjoyment, a bit of pride to the Irish people. Something I always think about is how many people it touches back home.

Caelan Doris, number eight

On his feelings minutes before the game and facing New Zealand's haka:

"It will be excitement and a lot of nerves. Nerves for me peak a couple of hours out, and as we get to the changing room and out onto the pitch for the  warm-up they dissipate a bit. In those few minutes there will be nerves, excitement. Kind of an eagerness to get stuck in.

"In terms of haka, we will do what we've done quite a bit in terms of the 10-metre line, maybe flirting with it a bit. But looking forward to it big time."

On the home support before facing New Zealand in a Rugby World Cup quarter-final:

"In these big weeks you draw on some of the emotion, the pride. [I've been] talking to a few friends back home in Mayo, seeing how they are behind us and how so many people in the country are behind us. Over here we definitely get a sense of it. 

"That is the motivation for us, trying to continue to inspire them and do them proud knowing that so many are coming over to support us. Sometimes you can almost get too emotional, then you bring yourself back into process, focus, detail, focus, going through how we are going to make them proud and how we're going to get to the next step. It's always a balance in these big weeks."

On the growth the Ireland team has been on since losing to New Zealand in the quarter-final in Rugby World Cup 2019: 

"It feels like it is a different group. It feels like quite a long time since the last one. Obviously neither of us [he and Sheehan] were there last time. There's been a lot of experience over the last three or four years with this group. We've built a lot of confidence through those experiences, through some pretty big wins - New Zealand last year, New Zealand at home, South Africa.

"It's been quite a big journey with this group and through the coaches, through our plan, through the players' ability and our want to get better, there's a lot of belief that has been built in this last period. 

"So, we are drawing on that and not looking back too much further. I am sure some of the more experienced, older guys might take some things going back even longer but the last three or four years has been an unbelievable journey for us and there's a lot of belief and confidence that has come from that."

On the potential of this being Johnny Sexton's final game in an Ireland shirt: 

"Even last week building into Scotland, obviously there was a chance that could be his last ever game; he said that to us as a group. What an unbelievable player and leader he has been for Ireland for so many years. 

"I think all the players would agree that the standards he sets raise everyone else's game. He is almost like having another coach on the pitch. He seems to have like a bird's eye view, he seems to see everything regardless of where you are.

"He catches every mistake, you can't get away with anything with him around, which is obviously a good thing for the most part, except when he is shouting at you for those few seconds. 

"He definitely brings us to another level, so valuable for the younger guys, for the two of us coming in. The way he prepares for a game, he absolutely loves the game, puts everything into it. The utmost professional."