USA boss Eddie O'Sullivan will be going up against his former side in New Plymouth on Sunday © Getty Images

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Matches: Ireland 22 - 10 United States of America

Players/Officials: Eddie O'Sullivan

Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup

Teams: Australia | Ireland | Italy | Russia | United States of America

United States boss Eddie O'Sullivan is reluctant to be cast as the central character in Sunday's World Cup clash with former side Ireland.

O'Sullivan was at the helm when Ireland crashed out of the 2007 tournament after a disastrous campaign in which Ireland struggled embarrassingly to get the better of Namibia and Georgia before being beaten by France and Argentina. The Corkonian resigned just under six months later, after an equally calamitous Six Nations campaign.

O'Sullivan is a proud manand some have suggested that the game in New Plymouth will be difficult for him, emotionally, given that he will be intent on getting one over on his old employers and yet keen to see players that he managed do well. However, O'Sullivan claims that it is all very straightforward as far as he is concerned.

"I wouldn't say I have mixed emotions. It's not an emotional feeling," he said. "It feels a bit strange because I know many of those lads pretty well. But it's not about me, it's about the American team. These lads have put in huge effort to make it here to the World Cup.

"In particular, the guys who are not professional have made huge sacrifices to come to the World Cup. It's about them.

"The fact we're playing Ireland in the group stage is just the way it's panned out. I have a job to do. It's a bit of help knowing what I do about the Irish players and I've been passing that on. But we can't get hung up on Ireland, we need to focus on our own performance."

And while his side's opener against the Irish has, understandably, drawn plenty of media attention, O'Sullivan insists that it does not represent the biggest game in the pool for the Eagles.

"Winning the Russia game is the big one for us. We feel like it's within our ability to beat them," he said. "We played them at the Churchill Cup in 2010 and this year and won those games, though they were nip and tuck affairs.

"They're ranked close to us so we will have to be on our game to win, but we need to target that match. Historically for us to win a pool match is very good, we've only had two group victories in the World Cup before. We won't roll over dead in the other games, though, especially in the first one because you need to make a good start."

As for Ireland, O'Sullivan wishes them well but declined an invitation to predict just how far they can go in New Zealand.

"I'm not involved with Ireland any more, it's not for me to lay down markers or set the bar for them," he said. "It wouldn't be right. They have their own objectives and goals. I'm concerned with the Eagles and how well we do."