World Cup Preview: Ireland
POOL A SPOTLIGHT: Over the last four years, rugby in Ireland has boomed with Joe Schmidt’s side winning a Six Nations Grand Slam and twice knocking over the All Blacks.
The levels of expectation among players and public have risen accordingly although, as the Irish head off to Japan, there lies are an uneasy undeniable thought: Ireland is not very good at World Cups.
Of the leading five nations in Europe, they are the only ones never to make a semifinal, their journeys almost always ending in anti-climactic disappointment in the quarterfinals.
Only once, in 1991, did they come close to a place in the semifinals but Gordon Hamilton’s heroic late try which appeared to have seen them past the Wallabies was undone moments later by some slack defence and a little bit of Michael Lynagh magic.
In 2007, they were hammered by France and Argentina and never made it out of their pool.
Schmidt, who is stepping down from his role of coach after the tournament, is a pragmatist and is refusing to make any rash promises that 2019 is the Year of the Irish.
“They are going to be utterly committed to trying to get beyond that quarterfinal phase,” he said after announcing his team.
“The most frustrating thing about this job is that I can work as hard as I like but I still can’t guarantee you anything other than we will try to put our best foot forward.”
* Continue reading below …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6HpKIeQchM
Dismay at veteran’s omission
After an underwhelming Six Nations which saw them well-beaten by Wales and England, there is a feeling that the Irish peaked too soon – with a memorable 16-9 win over the All Blacks in Dublin last November.
A number of younger players have been drafted into the team, notably South Africa-born lock forward Jean Kleyn whose inclusion so soon after becoming eligible under residency rules, led to the controversial exclusion of the veteran lighthouse Devin Toner.
Brian O’Driscoll said the decision to leave out the 2.11-metre Meath man “beggars belief” while another former captain Malcolm O’Kelly told the Irish Examiner that it was “shocking news”.
“I know the value he [Toner] brings in set pieces, the line-out and the kick-off. He’s a very safe pair of hands, and he has been for many years.”
In spite of the absence of Toner, the pack still has a mix of the durable and the dynamic, led by the 37-year-old hooker Rory Best who, like Schmidt, will step away from the scene after Japan.
Leading the line is the experienced halfback pairing of Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton, last year’s World Player of the Year.
“There is good strength in depth there now,” says Sexton.
“That’s what we’ve built over the last couple of years through guys getting injured, Joe giving guys lots of chances through the last couple of Six Nations, and we’ll see if we are the strongest squad put together if we get past the quarterfinal.”
Getting past the quarterfinals, that is what it is all about for the Irish.
While they will not be underestimating the challenge of Japan, Samoa and even Russia in the pool stages, the most serious challenger will be near neighbours Scotland.
The quarterfinals, though, will need a gargantuan effort as, unless there is another rugby miracle in Pool B, they will face either New Zealand or South Africa.
The four proud provinces will be hoping that Schmidt and Best and the rest of the team finally answer Ireland’s call.
Player to watch:
Jonathan Sexton. The 2018 World Player of the Year is the key to Ireland’s
bid to get past the quarterfinals for the first time
Aim for the tournament:
“We’ve got to get to a semifinal, and obviously we want to go further than that if we can,” David Nucifora, Ireland’s Performance.
https://youtu.be/pay64g8m8v8
Factfile
Population: 4.8million
Capital: Dublin
Coach: Joe Schmidt (New Zealand, since April 2013)
Number of registered players: 194,387
World Rugby ranking: One (September 9, 2019)
World Cup record
1987: quarterfinal
1991: quarterfinal
1995: quarterfinal
1999: quarterfinal
2003: quarterfinal
2007: Pool
2011: quarterfinal
2015: quarterfinal
Pool matches (all times GMT):
Ireland v Scotland
Date: September 22
Venue: Yokohama
Kick-off: 07.45
Ireland v Japan
Date: September 28
Venue: Shizuoka
Kick-off: 07.15
Ireland v Russia
Date: October 3
Venue: Kobe
Kick-off: 10.15
Ireland v Samoa
Date: October 12
Venue: Fukuoka
Kick-off: 10.45
Squad
Backs: Rob Kearney (Leinster), Jordan Larmour (Leinster), Andrew Conway (Munster),
Keith Earls (Munster), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster), Bundee Aki (Connacht), Chris
Farrell (Munster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Joey
Carbery (Munster), Jack Carty (Connacht), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Luke
McGrath (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster).
Forwards: Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Dave
Kilcoyne (Munster), Rory Best (captain, Ulster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Niall Scannell
(Munster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Jean Kleyn (Munster), James
Ryan (Leinster), John Ryan (Munster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster),
Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Christiaan Stander (Munster), Jack Conan (Leinster).
