Rugby World Cup/Ireland v France: Gerry Thornley talks to Ronan O'Gara, the outhalf who has finally won back the Irish number 10 jersey

It's hard to credit that, apart from the June tests in the Pacific Islands, Ronan O'Gara will be starting his first back-to-back tests in tomorrow's World Cup quarter-final since guiding Ireland to those autumnal wins over Australia and Argentina. But it's been a frustratingly truncated year for an innately self-confident and ambitious young player.

"Life was looking rosy after the November internationals, (my) form was great and then the Celtic League final, and it all went pear-shaped after that," he reflected ruefully this week.

Typical of his inner desire and mental strength however, for the summer tour O'Gara declined the chance to go home with Ireland's other front-line players after the test in Perth, and insisted on going to Tonga and Samoa.

As a statement of intent, he kicked 10 points in a 40-19 win over Tonga and scored an Irish record of 32 points in the 40-14 win over Samoa - two tries, two conversions, five penalties and a drop-goal - in searing heat and humidity.

"It was extremely difficult. Eric Miller summed it up when he said that he was going to die," says O'Gara, laughing. "It was very humorous for Eric. I know he comes up with a few odd concepts, but he thought he was going to die and he was trying to convince me that he was serious.

"It was unbelievable. We went in 9-7 up at half-time, and Jesus, the thought of playing another half, fellas were going 'Oh my God'. But then our fitness stood to us. We tore them apart in the second half."

A broken scaphoid delayed his push for the starting outhalf role in the warm-up games, and his chance only came in Ireland's second outing, against Namibia.

"I was the only change in the backs, then it peed out of the heavens. It was a frustrating evening, and then the disappointment of not getting picked against Argentina was a huge low point.

"I had put all my focus into the World Cup and for me the Argentina game was the key game. It took me a day to get over it and that's a long time on tour.

"You can't show that outwardly, so then I thought the best possible solution was, being realistic, half an hour barring injury. So I focused on making an impact for half an hour and, jeez, as as it turned out that's exactly how it happened. A crucial kick and I nailed it. Then we just had to hang on, but the fact that the players responded to me coming on was a big boost to me personally as well."

There's an engaging candour about O'Gara's self-evaluation, whether being critical of himself or those around him, or talking up his own performance.

Coming as a replacement for Humphreys in the 56th minute against Argentina, with Ireland nervously leading 10-9, he hasn't been shy about revealing the mental state of his team-mates.

"It was unbelievable. I'd never seen anything like it. The backs, fellas with huge experience, were just kind of lifeless. It was as if they were waiting for Lens to happen all over again. I couldn't accept that, y'know. They really responded, and in the last 25 minutes Drico (Brian O'Driscoll) and Maggsy (Kevin Maggs) really got into the game. And after that we held on for what was a hugely important win."

As soon as he came on, O'Gara called the backs into a huddle. "I was pumped up. I kind of said 'no matter what happens, let's make sure we can look at each other after the match'. Myself, Denis (Hickie), Shaggy (Shane Horgan), Maggsy and Drico would be close enough friends off the pitch, and I think that probably hit home to them.

"Once you leave, whatever way this games goes, you don't want there to be any bitching afterwards. In the past they could easily have given in, but they didn't. I think they eased a little bit and played a little more naturally."

Black-and-white judgements on this outhalf saga are to be envied. It's true that, not for the first time, O'Gara seemed to have more success in releasing O'Driscoll against Argentina and Australia, but then the pack's set-piece superiority was far more pronounced last weekend and referee Paddy O'Brien ensured quicker ruck ball.

Furthermore, O'Gara concedes that Eddie O'Sullivan gave him a free role against Australia whereas Humphreys looked to be constrained more by the game plan against the Pumas. That said, Humphreys did seem to become a little hangdog, and there's little doubt that O'Gara's introduction gave his team-mates impetus and probably saved Ireland's bacon.

In truth, though, O'Gara's kicking game against Australia was below his normal standard, though he doesn't use the dome-shaped ground, where the stands are set away from the sidelines, as an excuse.

"There was one kick that probably only went about 20 yards to (Joe) Roff," he says with self-reproach. "You can practise your kicking all you like but the intensity of the game the last day is something you can't reproduce ever in training. They obviously targeted me as the main kicker and they got out very quickly."

His body language when substituted scarcely disguised his disappointment. "To be honest it was the ref who told me that I was going off and I thought we were flying at that stage. I must admit I was disappointed, but sure that's the call the management make and I've got to accept that."

Ample compensation comes by way of a World Cup quarter-final. "It's what you put in all the hard work and all the hard training for. You do everything to make sure that you're playing in it.

"The important thing is that we express ourselves and maintain the level of performance we had against Australia and not go back into ourselves, like happened against Argentina. The pack were very good the other night, and it is about 70 per cent of the battle. And as a back line we ought to be able to think we should do damage."

One thing you know about O'Gara is that he won't be cowed by the challenge or the occasion. "It's going to be one of the most exciting games I've ever played in so far, and that's the attitude I'm going to take into it."