Ireland's meeting with Australia in Thursday's World Rugby U20 Championship will be "do or die" for the team, according to attack coach Mark Sexton.
With the three pool winners and one best-placed runner-up set to qualify for the semi-finals of the junior world championship, Ireland know that wins against both Australia and Fiji should see them advance to the final four.
However, despite picking up three match points for their 34-34 draw with England last Saturday, the margin for error is so small that a slip up against the Junior Wallabies in round two would likely end their chances of winning a first ever U20 world title.
"I think when you come to a Junior World Cup every match is do or die because if you lose one you are at the edge of a cliff," Sexton said.
"It's exciting, it’s do or die. Where else would you rather be? It’s Under-20s World Cup. It’s something I’ve dreamed of growing up and these lads have dreamed of."
The attack and backs coach (below), who is set to join Connacht next season, added that they've had plenty of areas to address since the draw with England, despite the short five-day turnaround between games.
"There are loads of learnings from the England game," he said.
"I suppose we could have won, could have lost. Ultimately three points keeps us in the competition, keeps us in the race for top four.
"Takeaways? Probably overplayed a bit at our end, failed to get out a couple of times, were a bit short in the contact department, especially in the defensive side of things. We feel that we've learned a lot and we'll be better again."
Given the five-day turnaround, Ireland have rotated their side with four changes for the meeting with the junior Wallabies.
One of those is enforced, with Hugh Cooney unavailable after failing a HIA and receiving a red card against the English, with James Nicholson, Ronan Foxe, Charlie Irvine and Brian Gleeson all coming into the side.
Gleeson's return at number 8 means James McNabney switches across the back row to blindside flanker.
And McNabney, who scored one of Ireland's six tries on Saturday, says they're confident they'll deal with the short turnaround.
"It doesn't seem long since we played but we've great physios and we're just working hard to get back and do as much as possible, get as much sleep as possible and recovery," the Ulster academy man said.
"We're ready to go. The team's good to go.
"This is probably one of the biggest games of the year for us. It's do or die. If we lose this one we're not probably going to get top four. Also on the other hand, every game is a big game. You're as good as your last game and we're trying to win them all.
The build-up to the opening game against England was dominated by the weather conditions in the Cape Town area, with heavy rain in recent weeks leaving the pitch at the Paarl Gymnasium - where Ireland will play each of their pool games - quite soft.
Three games were played on the surface on Saturday, while Ireland's meeting with Australia will be the first of three more tomorrow.
And while the Irish coaches have spoken of having to adapt their game to suit the conditions, Ballymena man McNabney says he's perfectly comfortable on soft ground.
"Yeah, a few flashbacks to schoolboy rugby," he laughed.
"I started out at Cambridge House which wouldn't have been a big rugby school. The pitches we're never perfect now but it suited my brand of rugby. I've enjoyed it. The pitch is grand, you just have to get into a flow and get going."
Australia top Pool B after a 46-37 win against Fiji in their opening match last Saturday.
And Sexton, younger brother of Ireland senior captain Johnny, says their opponents aren't a typical Australian side.
"Australia, at any level at international rugby are serious competitors," Sexton said.
"This particular team have a strong scrum. They beat New Zealand once, lost to New Zealand once, they surprisingly kick a lot for an Australian team. Not sure if Eddie Jones has had a bit of a say in how they are playing.
"They play a pressure game. I've heard their head coach talk quite a bit about pressure. We are expecting a typical Australia with those added [elements], kicking game, pressure, good set piece."
Follow a live blog of Ireland v Australia on RTÉ Sport Online and the RTÉ News app from 10am on Thursday
