How Ireland-New Zealand could come down to sudden death or kicking competition

Ireland's clash with New Zealand on Saturday could be decided by sudden death and a 'golden score’.

The outcome of the Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Paris could also be decided by a place-kicking competition but only if the teams cannot be separated after two lots of extra time.

Rugby World Cup tournament rules dictate that should the sides be level after 80 minutes, they will play a 20-minute period of extra time split into two halves of ten minutes.

If still level after that then there will be an additional period of up to ten minutes played, with the first team to score any points deemed the winner.

In the event that neither team scores in that period there will be a place-kicking competition, which will see five kickers from each team shoot at goal from three positions: in front of the posts and 15 metres either side of the posts.

Only players who are on the field of play when the sudden death extra-time is completed may be nominated as a kicker.

Similar to soccer, sudden death kicks come in if the teams are level after they have taken five shots each.

Players will have one minute from receiving the ball at the kicking area to take the shot before the referee deems the kick void.

Ireland have a better goal-kicking percentage rate than New Zealand, 86.7% to 75.9%, in the World Cup so far.

Johnny Sexton (14 from 17 attempts), Jack Crowley (four from five) and Ross Byrne (four from four) have kicked penalties or conversions for Andy Farrell's side, while Richie Mo'unga (10 from 15), Beauden Barrett (two from two) and Damian McKenzie (11 from 14) have scored off the tee for the All Blacks.

RUGBY WORLD CUP TIED KNOCK-OUT MATCHES CRITERIA

1. Extra time

Following an interval of 5 minutes, extra time of 10 minutes each way (with