NOW it really does get serious and we are all set for an absolute cracker of a World Cup quarter-final between Celtic rivals Wales and Ireland on Saturday.

Within an hour of arriving at rainswept Wellington yesterday Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards publicly called on his team to seize the moment.

And Ireland will be flat out to avenge their controversial defeat at the Millennium Stadium in this year’s Six Nations when Mike Phillips swept away from a quickly taken line-out by Matthew Rees to score the clinching try – with the wrong ball.

Ireland won’t forget that, and in case they do Phillips claimed after Wales’ victory over Fiji that when they won the Grand Slam for only the second time they nicked it from Wales.

So the battle lines are drawn already before any team announcements, player interviews and head coach comment begins.

They will probably do their best to diffuse the tension which will grow by the day with New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington overrun by rival groups of fans – the Irish alone are said to have a travelling army of 27,000 fans!

By the time kick-off arrives at 6pm New Zealand time, 6am in the UK, tension will be at fever pitch. One thing is for sure, it’s going to be fierce with so much at stake and so much rivalry, ill feeling even, between the camps.

In fact I would say it’s going to be brutal, and you can be sure they will go at one another like banshees.

Both teams arrive in peak form, Wales destroying Fiji in their final group game and Ireland pulverising Six Nations opponents Italy in the second half of theirs.

The Irish will base their approach on a mighty forward effort and will attempt to strangle Wales up front, deny them the ball then let rampaging back row trio of Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip and Stephen Ferris loose.

Ireland may have lost all four of their World Cup warm-up games but once the real thing arrived they showed they mean business by their shock victory over Australia to set up Saturday’s clash against Wales.

For so many of their players this is their last hurrah, their final opportunity to achieve something on the global stage and Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell to name but two know they are in the last chance saloon, gunslingers out to make a killing – and Wales stand in their way.

The Irish will go at it hell for leather, but what of Wales?

They have hardly been blushing violets in this competition either, demolishing Fiji and Namibia in their last two group games, beating the extremely physical Samoans and holding world champions South Africa to a single point victory.

They have announced themselves in the most positive way and in the process have unleashed a couple of brilliant prospects, with more to come.

There is no doubt in my mind that if Wales were facing a southern hemisphere giant in the quarter-final players like skipper Sam Warburton and George North would be hailed on the world stage now.

They are gaining recognition in New Zealand, but it should be more because they are both absolutely outstanding, Warburton never far from the ball and North terrorising defences with his power, pace and athleticism.

Wales’ biggest problem could be who to leave out if they report a clean bill of health this week for the first time with Dan Lydiate, James Hook and Shane Williams all fit again.

If that is the case Hook will play at full-back and Priestland will be at outside half, no doubt about it.

Wales coach Warren Gatland wants Hook on the field, and with Priestland his 10 that will again be at full-back where he believes he can launch counter-attacks.

Yet there are those back home who are still calling for Hook to play at 10 when they are unaware of the circumstances or the reasons, but blindly believe that to be the best solution.

I was in favour of such a call until quite recently, but can now see the bigger picture and what is trying to be achieved.

The one thing Gatland was partly concerned about with Priestland – his kicking – appeared to be sorted against Fiji and with Hook at 15 that won’t be an issue anyway.

Priestland’s balance, increasing game control and the way he brings Jamie Roberts on to the ball – and how the runaway centre is benefiting – ensure it’s not even a debate.

Selection issues will be rife elsewhere though. Some worthy contenders look like missing out assuming everyone reports fit (and I’m not entirely convinced Lydiate will be 100%).

Lee Byrne, Leigh Halfpenny, Jon Davies, Stephen Jones, Paul James and Ryan Jones could all fail to make the final cut, with perhaps the closest call of the lot between Davies and Scott Williams at outside centre.

Williams is developing all the time, a quietly spoken youngster from Newcastle Emlyn near Lampeter, but the vast experience of O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy may count against him.

So the team will probably be: Hook, North, Davies or Scott Williams, Roberts, Shane Williams, Priestland, Phillips, Jenkins, Bennett, Adam Jones, Charteris, Alun Wyn Jones, Lydiate, Faletau, Warburton. Replacements: Halfpenny, Stephen Jones, Lloyd Williams, Paul James, Lloyd Burns, Bradley Davies, Ryan Jones.

Ireland do have a worry at hooker with Rory Best nursing a shoulder injury and first choice Jerry Flannery ruled out before the start of the tournament, but other than that will be at full strength.

Coach Declan Kidney is clever at using the Irish card. In his understated way he gets the team and their fans going while Gatland gets his troops focussed, too.

The mind games are beginning and it will all reach a crescendo by Saturday. This one will be no place for the faint-hearted.