Ireland lock Donncha O'Callaghan has spoken of the pain at Ireland’s disappointing 2007 World Cup campaign.
The 32-year-old was part of the Ireland squad that failed to advance from the group stages at the 2007 tournament after defeats to Argentina and France.
The disappointing events of the last competition, coupled with the fact that Ireland go into this year’s Cup on the back of four successive defeats, has put a dampener on Irish hopes, but O’Callaghan is determined to avoid the same fate this time around.
"You don't want to get to the biggest competition of your life and fall flat on your face," he told the Press Association.
"The scars of France have stayed with us all. It was hugely disappointing because you arrive with such promise and all the dreams of doing well. So to come up short....there's no worse feeling."
He added: "A lot of us pretend 2007 was a leap year, that nothing actually happened during that year.
"This is the big show, there is nothing bigger than a World Cup. This is the one we've been dreaming of since we were kids.”
Ireland kick off their World Cup campaign against the USA on Sunday, September 11.
