GORDON D’Arcy thinks Ireland’s World Cup October 11 Cardiff clash with France is going to be a key Pool D battle.
Set to retire following the tournament D’Arcy wants to be included in Joe Schmidt’s plans.
"It's all about building momentum towards the French game. Win that and you have three games where you can be lifting the Webb Ellis Cup at the end of it.
"I told Joe I wanted to go to the World Cup. He said, 'We'd be happy to have you, but we want you competing for a place. If you think you're going to be there making up the numbers, we will have to leave it at that.'
"I told him that I could still fight for the new 12 jersey. And he said, 'I think you can too. So we'd be happy to have you.'
"I know that come hell or high water, I'll be done by October 31. You're still working towards a target. The World Cup is a massive target, but I now know I've another target behind that.
"Some lads will be planning for other World Cups. For me, this is my coup de grace. This will be the epitaph. This is it. It's very easy.”
D’Arcy is keen to do everything possible in order to feature for Ireland in the autumn.
"I've no guarantees,” D’Arcy admits. “I need to be perfect, I need to be absolutely perfect every time I get on the pitch, whether it is passing, tackling, moving, being in the right place at the right time at all times.
"If I can perform like that, I'm going to be at least asking the hard questions of Joe and I need to make it difficult for him to leave me out of his plans.
"If you make the team, you don't have to worry about the squad. That's my way of approaching it."
**Gordon D'Arcy was speaking on behalf of Land Rover as Land Rover and the Rugby World Cup 2015 Defender brought the Webb Ellis Cup as part of the 100 Day Tour of the UK and Ireland. Land Rover's #WeDealInReal Rugby World Cup 2015 campaign will champion rugby's grassroots by putting local clubs on the global stage. Follow @LandRoverRugby.
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