Williams: In optimistic mood

Williams is enthused by Wales' exciting young generation of players and the impression they have made at the World Cup.

At 34, Williams still possesses the game-breaking qualities that have highlighted a Test career of 55 tries in 83 Wales appearances.

But he is also quick to highlight the impact of Wales' new brigade, with Saturday's matchday group containing eight players aged 23 or under.

"I said months before the World Cup started that this certainly was the most exciting Welsh squad I've been involved in," Williams said.

"It is a mix of experience, with a lot of youngsters coming through at the right time. I think we have got stronger as the tournament has gone on.

"There are some great players coming through, so that bodes well for many years to come."

Whether Williams will be part of that post-World Cup future remains to be seen, with him facing a decision on whether he continues playing international rugby.

"I have said there is a possibility that after the World Cup I may have played my last game," he added.

"If we don't do well on Saturday, it could be my last game (for Wales).

"I don't want to get too emotional about it. I don't want to finish playing rugby for Wales, I never want to, but you don't get many wingers playing after 40 and doing well."

Williams, fit again following a thigh strain, will team up in the Wales back-three alongside Leigh Halfpenny and George North on Saturday, and he is relishing the opportunity.

"We are very privileged to have great back-three players," he said. "We've been doing our fighting on the training paddock to see which back three are going to get there.

"It is a massive game for us, but we are quietly confident. If it doesn't go right for us on Saturday, we are flying home two days after."

Wales completed their preparations today with a training run at Wellington Regional Stadium, and there is no doubt they are mentally and physically ready for the confrontation that awaits.

"As much as we've had two big wins against Namibia and Fiji, no disrespect to those teams, at half-time we could have taken our foot off the gas, but we finished the job off in a very professional manner," Wales forwards coach Robin McBryde said.

"When you couple that with the arm wrestles that we were in with South Africa and Samoa, to come out on top of one of them, and we should have come out on top of the other, we're in a good place and we can take a lot of confidence with that."

Wales skipper Sam Warburton added: "The game is exciting because it's 50-50.

"Both teams believe they can beat each other, and if you look at form over the last couple of years, it's pretty even.

"I am just looking at the game as Wales versus Ireland and nothing else, really.

"If we all start over-thinking too much and think of it as a quarter-final then maybe players will hold themselves back and not express themselves.

"I will be pretty chilled out until the day of the game, to be honest. I don't really think about it too much, or by the time I get to match day I will be exhausted."

Cian Healy, meanwhile, has revealed that "insulting" criticism of Ireland's front row inspired them to develop into one of the World Cup's strongest units.

The Irish scrum was an area of weakness until Mike Ross became first choice tighthead during this year's RBS 6 Nations, resulting in a dramatic change of fortunes.

Healy, Ross and Rory Best are now capable of matching any side at the set piece and claimed their most pleasing scalp yet when they demolished Australia's scrum in Auckland last month.

"As a whole the front row are in a very good place. We've worked extremely hard to get where we are," said Healy.

"It was insulting in the past when people said that we weren't a reliable unit and that we couldn't give our top-class backs what they wanted.

"It's motivational when people talk about you in those terms. As a unit we took it personally.

"It's not nice being told you're not good at what you do, that some of the best backs in the world can't play because they don't have the ball.

"It was a heads-down situation, let's get on with it. (Scrum coach) Greg Feek came in and Mike Ross really stood up and took hold of the front row unit.

"The scrum has started to turn into much more of a force for us and it's something we're pretty proud of now."

Ireland are hoping to reach the semi-finals for the first time when they face Wales at Wellington Regional Stadium.

They have been in magnificent form throughout the World Cup, attacking their key pool games against Australia and Italy with controlled ferocity.

Lions captain Paul O'Connell believes Irish teams are at their best when they feed off their emotions.

"The occasion is massive and very little needs to be said," said O'Connell.

"But at the same time I think we're better when we're passionate and emotional about how we play.

"We've been there for the last few weeks. Hopefully there are three more games left and guys don't have any problems raising it week on week.

"It's quite similar to a Lions tour in that sense. You throw everything into the hat for those few weeks and you go as hard as you can.

"That's what we've been doing so far and it's worked for us."

O'Connell insists Ireland's superior experience banked during knockout games with Munster and Leinster and the 2009 Grand Slam-winning year will prove beneficial.

"The more times you've been there, the more times you find yourself doing the right things at the right time," he said. "That's hopefully where we are with guys who have been at this stage of big competitions before.

"Heineken Cup, Celtic League and Grand Slam matches...all that experience contributes to these big games.

"If you've been there before and pulled through, producing the big performance to win, it certainly helps."