Ireland rugby coach Joe Schmidt has backed Munster captain Peter O'Mahony to shine in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand in Tokyo.
O'Mahony was replaced by Tadhg Beirne in the starting line up to face Samoa after starting the first three Pool games.
The Corkman is now recalled in the back row alongside Josh van der Flier and CJ Stander.
Joe Schmidt says O'Mahony was a standout performer in Ireland's win over the All Blacks last November:
"He brings leadership and experience. He's a very effective lineout operator for us. Part of it is the structure and the way he that ends up across the width of the pitch. He tends to be playing in the wider channels and therefore he's not as involved as some of the players who are closer in.
"Statistics always tell part of the story, but they don't tell the complete picture. There are things that he can add for us that we think could be really important. Obviously in the line-out, he saved our bacon the last time we played New Zealand with an exceptional turn and chase and the long arms that he reached out just to pluck the ball in front of Ben Smith to avoid Smith scoring for certain.
"I think he won two balls on the ground in that game as well that were really important. He has been a bit of a 'big moments' player for us. Maybe not as many moments, but the big moments, they count."
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