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As American author Zig Ziller once wrote, “Disappointment is a temporary detour on the road to success.” For Irish rugby, the downturn that followed the Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to New Zealand by four points remains a cruel reality that, unlike previous disappointments, still stings.
They entered the contest as the No. 1 ranked team in the world, fresh off a series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand at the Six Nations Grand Slam, and were on a 17-game winning streak. It wasn’t supposed to end. Alas, there is an important reason why the All Blacks have remained at the pinnacle of rugby for so many years. On that fateful night in Paris, Farrell’s charge went by a hair’s breadth, but they lost to a savvy Kiwi side who were just there to do it on the game’s grandest stage.
And so, four months after that fateful night in Paris, the rebuilding of Ireland begins in a rather poetic way, in a country that has finished its final chapter. Set in the narrow streets of Paris and the port city of Marseille, the Grand Slam champions will face a French team that is no stranger to disappointment on the opening night of a World Cup.
final timeout
Ireland won their fourth Grand Slam title in 2023, defeating all challengers with relative ease.
Ireland started their campaign in Cardiff and bullied the Welsh at home. Wales’ rugby struggles have been well documented, but Warren Gatland and his charges routinely inflict pain on more fancied Irish opponents. For Farrell’s camp, the 34-10 bonus point victory was the clear result in the first round, setting the stage for what will likely be another Grand Slam deciding match at Les Bleus in the second round.
The match was tense for much of the match, but a 32-19 bonus point victory, holding France to just one try, cemented the idea that Ireland are the best team in European rugby. That day in Dublin, Ireland played an up-tempo, attacking game that moved the large French pack and gave the visitors momentum.
Defeating their biggest title rivals early in the Championship saw Ireland beat Italy 34-20 before taking on Scotland 22-7 in the fourth round, a 22-7 win that has been a habit for the past 20 years. He achieved a major victory and seemed to be free of all pre-tournament constraints.
These two results set up a pressure cooker fifth round clash with arch-rivals England in Dublin over St Patrick’s weekend.
As usual, England came from day one looking to disrupt Ireland’s flow with the physical superiority that is the hallmark of English rugby. In the end, it wasn’t enough as Ireland earned their fourth bonus point in the Championship with a 29-16 win.
Saying goodbye to iconic Six Nations players Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls in the best way possible in front of the Irish nation felt like something straight out of a Hollywood script.
key player
The King is dead, long live the King…well, not really, but no player has been more influential to Ireland than Johnny Sexton. The fly-half kingpin has been Ireland’s general since 2011, commanding the men in green around the park with an authority unparalleled in the history of the game.
As well as directing play on the pitch, Sexton was also a standard driver off the pitch, taking Irish rugby to the top.
How to replace a player with these qualities, and more importantly a leader, is a question only time can answer. In Andy Farrell, Ireland has a coach with the authority, respect and talent to guide this brave new world of Irish rugby.
On the pitch, Munster’s Jack Crowley is the heir apparent with all the tricks and, more importantly, the temperament to become a world-class 10-man. The former Bandung Grammar student, who scored the winning drop goal in last year’s United Rugby Championship semi-final to lead his team to the title two weeks later, is the real deal. This doesn’t mean he has full say over the position, with the likes of brothers Ross and Harry Byrne, Ciaran Frawley and young Sam Prendergast all He is an active and capable competitor for this role.
Crowley may not be the most impactful player on a very experienced and talented team, but he is a key player this season.
If he performs as a mainstay, Ireland have a very real chance of becoming the first team in history to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles. Conversely, if you have growing pains, you can expect slight fluid loss with Irish attacks.
One thing is for sure: Crawley is qualified and will prove it in the coming months against rivals in Marseille and London.
potential breakthrough star – Joe McCarthy
Unlike the other five teams in the Championship, Ireland have no full-fledged debutants in their full squad. Farrell has listed three uncapped players on his ‘training panel’ and will include Sam Prendergast, Oli Jaeger and Tom Ahern (if he returns from injury) in a fragile squad for the national team. will be considered.
Considering this, Joe McCarthy, a strong second row player who emerged last season, has the potential to take the championship by storm this season.
At 6ft 6in tall and weighing 130kg, McCarthy is unlike any other prospect Irish rugby has ever produced. Simply put, the 22-year-old is an enforcer, a threat who destroys opponents’ possessions with his incredible physicality at the point of contact. In attack, his delicate footwork and soft hands, combined with his rampaging power-carrying game, make him an all-rounder who looks as if he was cut from the mold of Springbok icon Eben Ezebeth. Creates modern rock.
As of this writing, it’s certainly high praise for a player who is just taking the first steps in what many believe will be a long and fruitful career.
The first round against the French giants could be his start as a real force and he will be an undeniable contributor to the Men in Green going forward.
Toughest jig – England away
The general consensus is that Ireland’s toughest game will be away to France in matchday one, but there is actually a very strong argument for this.
But without the likes of Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamak, Emmanuel Mefou and Anthony Geronche, this French team, while still good, won’t be as strong as it is when all the cards are in place.
On the other hand, England looks like it will be a team that will see a lot of young talent emerge. Last year, Steve Borthwick’s side were generally uninspiring, but still managed to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. Although some experienced heads have since left, this team still has several players who have played at the highest level and, as mentioned above, also has a young core of very talented players.
England, who face Twickenham on Round 4, will not be defeated and will be looking to make a true statement that they are back as a team after several seasons of stagnation.
Before a ball is kicked, some will be pegging Ireland as slight favorites to win, but things could change dramatically come March kick-off.
competition summary
Quite contrary to many people, I believe Ireland have a real chance of upsetting a heavily rotated French team in the first round. A win here would be a big step towards advancing to the Grand Slam, and the aforementioned match against Twickenham is likely to be the toughest of the remaining matches.
Certainly Scotland, Wales and Italy should not be discounted, but their history is instructive. Despite their undeniable growth, Scotland have only beaten Ireland once in the past 20 years, while Italy have never beaten a team in green, apart from a shock over a decade ago. In normal circumstances, Wales would be Ireland’s kryptonite, but they don’t have a team to match Ireland this season.
Ireland will be title contenders this season, but it’s hard to tell if it’s a Grand Slam year. It will be difficult for any team to go unbeaten from the start, but Farrell’s side and Fabien Galthie’s Les Bleus are the two teams that seem most likely to do so.
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