Iain Henderson: Ireland not haunted by quarter-final history

World Cup scars take a while to heal, and as a veteran of 78 caps, Iain Henderson can show you a couple.

The Ulster lock is at his third World Cup with Ireland and preparing for his third quarter-final. Only Conor Murray has started in more from this current squad. Infamously, they've only known defeat.

This time it will be different, we hope.

In 2015, Henderson was bumped into the first XV to partner Devin Toner in the engine room against Argentina after Paul O'Connell's ultimately career-ending hamstring injury, while he also started the last-eight defeat to the All Blacks in Tokyo four years ago.

The Irish squad has changed incrementally since that 46-14 hammering to the All Blacks, and Henderson is one of just six members of that starting side who will take to the field at Stade de France this evening for their rematch with Ian Foster's side.

For many supporters, that drubbing is still fresh in the memory, but Henderson (below) insists this team will not be burdened by the past.

"I'm not necessarily sure I'll be imparting wisdom but a huge, huge part of what we do, and what we try to bring as a squad is belief in what we've done in the past, and we honestly haven't spoken about the last two World Cups," he says.

"This is on the whole a different group, it's definitely a hugely different feel, it feels like a different management, we approach the game in a different way on match weeks."

Without being hyperbolic, there's every reason to declare this as the biggest game in the history of Irish rugby. Between their previous World Cup failures, their need to back up last year's series win against the All Blacks and the potential for it to be a final game for Johnny Sexton, there's motivation around every corner for Andy Farrell's