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• Ireland cooking up a storm off the field thanks to Emma Gardner’s influence

  Ireland’s head of nutrition Emma Gardner believes “food is mood” as she attempts to fuel another World Cup triumph following her key role in England’s 2019 cricket success.

  Gardner is tasked with managing the varied dietary requirements of Andy Farrell’s 33-man squad for their shot at glory in France.

  The 37-year-old previously worked as a nutritionist for the England and Wales Cricket Board, a period which included Ben Stokes’ World Cup final heroics against New Zealand at Lord’s.

  She clearly has a recipe for success, having also been involved with Great Britain Hockey when the women’s team clinched gold at the 2016 Olympics.

  While diet plans are structured and relatively strict, Gardner, from Accrington, Lancashire, acknowledges there needs to be some leeway and feels “internet, food and sleep” are the main requirements for maintaining morale.

  “I took a lot of learnings from both those environments, the Olympic Games and the Cricket World Cup,” she said.

  “I’m used to the nature of the tournament, used to getting players ready for a match. Having to get them ready again is probably the main learning.

  “It’s a long tournament. There’s a long time to concentrate and keep players focused. A big learning for me is ‘food is mood’, particularly in these campaigns.

  “We obviously try to keep high quality all the time but there’ll be times where we go ‘let’s just calm it a bit’ and give them what they want and relax because that’s also important when you’re here for such a long time.

  “Internet, food and sleep are the three things that tend to keep people happy.”

  Ireland’s players have individual nutritional requirements based on position, body weight and expected playing time, with six eating windows per day.

  Prop Andrew Porter, for example, can consume up to 600 grams of carbohydrates – a plate of pasta is around 80 grams – ahead of a game.

  Gardner’s work involves devising bespoke plans and ensuring the squad are suitably replenished ready for the next fixture.

  “In this squad, I actually haven’t had too many crazy requests,” she said.

  “Other teams and other sports, I’ve had some very bizarre requests.

  “You sometimes get people wanting steak for every single meal, as an example.

  “But these guys are very straightforward, they love their food, they’re not fussy, my life is very simple in a way. They just like food and lots of it.”

  Gardner, who started the job last October, began her career at Northampton Saints a decade ago when nutrition in rugby was “hugely” different.

  A major challenge during the current tournament is that all but one of Ireland’s fixtures kick off at 9pm local time.

  “There’s a psychology to a 9pm kick-off,” she said.

  “Sometimes the challenge is overeating, feeling sluggish because the only thing you do is eat all day, so you have to tailor it.

  “We’ve done a lot of work in that space with individuals, to make sure they feel good going into the game when it’s that late.

  “It can feel like a very long day when you’re waiting around all day and eating is one of the only things to do.”

   

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  Ireland’s squad often enjoy a post-match beer, while players were pictured drinking wine during their time off after beating reigning world champions South Africa.

   

  Asked about alcohol consumption, Gardner said: “We don’t have rules, we have standards and the lads know those standards. They create those standards.

  “They’re very professional, they also need to look after their own bodies.

  “They know the time when they can slightly relax.

  “They can do that with food, they can do that if they want to have a drink but they also understand what’s ahead of them.”

• Tom Curry raring to make England return ahead of final World Cup group game

  Tom Curry has been tearing into his team-mates on the training field in preparation for his comeback when England complete their World Cup group campaign against Samoa on Saturday.

  Curry has played just 179 seconds of the tournament after being sent off for a dangerous tackle in the opener against Argentina, resulting in a two-match ban that ruled him out against Japan and Chile.

  It was a frustrating first appearance under Steve Borthwick having missed the Six Nations and last month’s warm-up fixtures because of hamstring and ankle injuries.

  Now the high-energy Sale flanker is poised to start England’s final Pool D assignment in Lille with a quarter-final against likely opponents Fiji looming on the horizon.

  Attack coach Richard Wigglesworth revealed that Curry was straining at the leash to get his World Cup underway having made his presence felt in practise.

  “Tom’s been a menace in training because he’s so good, which means he’s everywhere!” Wigglesworth said.

  “He’s incredibly committed and diligent. As you’d expect from the really, really top player that he is, he shows all those traits.

  “He’s chomping at the bit and we’re delighted for him that he’s back and raring to go. He won’t hold much back – he’s all action.

  “He’s fit as a fiddle and that’s the way he plays – multiple actions in games where he affects the game on both sides of the ball.

  “I think we will get the best of Tom Curry in terms of him getting straight into it from the start.

  “We’re absolutely delighted to get him back. It was tough for him to come back from that (red card) but he has reacted really well and got stuck into his training.”

  Owen Farrell insists the ultra-fit Curry, a world player of the year nominee in 2019, is ready to make his mark on the World Cup.

  “Tom’s in a good place. I don’t think there is too much revving up that Tom can do – he is pretty much 100 per cent every time you are out there training,” England’s captain said.

  “I’m sure he has got a bit of frustration at not being involved and I’m sure he can’t wait to show what he can do and get out there with the team.”

  England secured their quarter-final spot when Japan toppled Argentina on Thursday and progress as pool winners with a match to spare, taking full advantage of being positioned in the easier half of the draw.

  When they arrived in France, expectation outside the squad was at an all-time time low amid fears they would fail to emerge from the group, having lost five out of their previous six Tests.

  But they have brushed aside Argentina, Japan and Chile and confidence is growing that they can advance deeper into the World Cup.

  “So far the team has done well. It is not a massive pat on the back to ourselves because we have still hopefully got a long way to go in this competition. All we are trying to do is focus on what we are doing now,” Farrell said.

  “With regards to people writing us off on the outside, that has not been the case in the camp.

  “We believe in what we are doing and we have done even when things weren’t going quite as we would have wanted them to.”

• Rio Dyer insists Wales will keep ‘chasing that perfection’ at World Cup

  Rio Dyer says that Wales will aim to keep a collective foot on the accelerator as they build towards their fourth successive Rugby World Cup quarter-final appearance.

  Wales’ place in the last eight was confirmed through a record 40-6 win against Australia.

  They require only a point from next Saturday’s appointment with Georgia in Nantes to guarantee finishing top of Pool C.

  Japan or Argentina, who meet in what is effectively a group eliminator 24 hours after Wales tackle Georgia, are then set to await Warren Gatland’s team as quarter-final opponents.

  “We taken learnings from every game previously, and we are chasing that perfection,” Wales wing Dyer said.

  “Every game won’t be perfect, but there are things we can get better at. It is about not letting the foot off the gas and see how far we can push ourselves.

  “Let the result take care of itself, because I am more than sure if we put the effort in during the week and take the learnings, we will get even better and hopefully top the group.

  “The training we have been putting in is amazing. The competitiveness of the sessions has been phenomenal.

  “No-one is sulking or moping about. We are a 33-man squad trying to get the same result, and everyone is helping everyone.”

  Twelve of Wales’ World Cup group were involved when Georgia claimed an historic 13-12 victory in Cardiff during last year’s autumn internationals.

  It came just eight months after Wales had lost at home to Italy, and effectively signalled the end for Gatland’s head coach predecessor Wayne Pivac.

  A home loss to Australia the following weekend – Wales conceded 26 unanswered points after leading 34-13 – sealed his fate, before Gatland returned for a second stint in the job.

  “They’re a good team,” Dyer said of Georgia. “They bring qualities throughout their forwards and backs.

  “They have got very good players all around the park. Hopefully, we can put in a performance that we have put in during these three (pool) games and get the result against them.”

  Dyer and company returned to the training pitch on Friday following four days off after the Australia match, with the majority of players enjoying French sightseeing, while some briefly returned home.

  “Mason (Grady) and myself had a nice day around Paris on the bikes, then we went to Disneyland Paris together on a two-man mission. We went on all the rides there – I felt like a kid again,” he said.

  Flanker Taine Basham, meanwhile, had time at home, adding: “I went back home to see the little one. He is nearly walking now, so no days off.

  “He was keeping me busy, so I was not just laying back on the sofa waiting to go back out to France.

  “I am getting better sleep out here, there is no doubt, but I can’t wait to see him again in the next couple of weeks.”