Irish eyes are smiling as the Emerald Isle emerges as a true contender for the 2015 World Cup.
The All Blacks extra-time 24-22 victory over Ireland last November hurt, it hurt real bad.
After years of pain and 26 failed attempts at beating the Kiwis, the Irish seemed to have finally broken the black curse on home soil last year. In an enthralling encounter salvation appeared at hand. But it wasn’t meant to be.
New Zealand did as it always does, pulling that winning try out of nowhere and coming from the near impossible to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It was gut-wrenching for Ireland, the All Blacks showing yet again why they are king closers and the best team in the world.
Twelve months on, you get the sense that Ireland has learnt deeply from that game and vividly still remember the pain.
Experienced Irish international Gordon D’Arcy said after the match: “This is probably the low point, for me, in my rugby career. That is one of the toughest games I have ever played in. They are not walking away from that saying that was an easy game.”
After that match Ireland has lost just one of their past 10 games. They have now won seven in a row. Included in those nine victories have been some decent opponents, South Africa and the Wallabies at home, Argentina twice away, and capturing the Six Nations trophy in 2014. The only defeat came in a three-point loss to England at Twickenham in February, in an incredibly close match.
Ireland has been reborn under coach Joe Schmidt. The Kiwi has got them playing with great confidence and structure, combined with a murderous intent. This is a tough team that doesn’t give an inch.
They convincingly defeated the Springboks, the 29-15 scoreline flattering the South Africans somewhat. The three-point win over the Wallabies was a close run thing but again their defence and their physicality and eye-catching.
This is now a driven team with self-belief, something that hasn’t always been the case with the Irish.
In key positions they have talent and experience. Paul O’Connell is a beast of a man who is still going strong at 35. Rory Best is a terrific hooker and Jamie Heaslip a fearsome number 8.
Jonathan Sexton and Connor Murry are the best halves combo in the northern hemisphere. Sexton is an outstanding kicker of the ball but his distribution his underrated.
Murray is a silky operator who has the skills and nous to play 10. You add in the speed of Simon Zebo, the experience of D’Arcy, Rob Kearney and Tommy Bowe, and you have some XV.
Against the Wallabies, Ireland employed a game-plan straight out of the Jake White hymn sheet. Kick well and often. Tackle like mongrels. Run hard. Maul, scrimmage and keep the ball in tight. Get the set piece wright. Unsettle your opponents with your strength and intensity.
It worked as Ireland was able to do it for the full 80 minutes, their defence holding as the Australians unsuccessfully looked for a match-winning try in the dying stages. The Wallabies couldn’t replicate the All Blacks late flurry.
The pain of that loss to New Zealand lives on. They haven’t forgetten and it’s driving them on towards the World Cup.
In the tournament they have been grouped with France, Canada, Italy and Romania. They will be favourites to top this pool.
If they do, they’ll likely meet Argentina in the quarter-finals. A potential semi-final clash with one of South Africa, England, Australia or Wales would await.
On familiar conditions, against opponents they have recently beaten, Ireland have a great chance. If the likes of O’Connell, Heaslip and Sexton remain fit, the 2015 tournament could be their best World Cup yet.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
Brian
Guest
As an Irish man, I want to help you understand where we are at. Your points about beating teams in the SH v in Ireland is well made but going back to previous years to compare this team against is not really fair. That's for the following reasons: - Joe Schmidt. - The Ireland team had only a couple of weeks together before November - the start of the international season here and had played no match since the summer tour. Which team has the advantage, the ones who played together in competitive matches recently (Aus/SA) or the one without match practice? - The following players have either played Lions tests and/or were part of the recently won 6N tournament but were unavailable this autumn: Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald, Cian Healy, Sean O'Brien, Dan Tuohy, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Donnacha Ryan, Jordi Murphy, Andrew Trimble, Dave Kearney. It's for this reason moreso than the other ones that we are optimistic. That said, I do believe all Autumn matches are glorified practice matches and we will only know what teams are really like in the white heat of battle in WC 2015!!!
Birdy
Guest
Hi Wardad. Thought I hadn't seen a bizarre rant that totally missed the point for a while - welcome back.
hulkinator
Guest
Armand van Zyl, you're making no sense. As far as you're concerned Ireland should be 6th ranked at the most because France, England and Australia have beaten SA or NZ away from home so Ireland can't be better than them... theres no logic to that.
Charging Rhino
Roar Guru
Quietly confident Dan ;-) 12 game streak for the Boks against England (with 1 dead rubber draw) dating back to 2006. And if it's Australia, the boys will be so fired up to exact revenge for the 2011 debacle. It would probably be a close game, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it was a riot, as we've come to expect from the games held in SA over the past 3 years. Australia are not playing that well in the NH at the moment. In Aus it's a different story. But yes, England or Australia could easily beat the Boks in a QF too...... Either way, the Boks have an uphill battle to get to the final. Then you've got a shot at the cup :-)
Bluey
Guest
I think his point was all teams time waste.
Wardad
Guest
Ireland were heartbreakingly close in 1991.
Derm
Roar Guru
Whose lack of SH touring is artificially propping up their world rankings???? So do you think Ireland don't tour in June every year? Might be useful to check the facts first.
EIther way, we can at least argue that Ireland has been the form team this November.
Derm
Roar Guru
I suspect Twins that the only games that you've seen Sexton play in are tests versus SANZAR teams. He may take his time with kicks but he tends to get most of them too which is what matters. As for "he can kick but that's about it", he was joint top try scorer in the 6N this year. And top points scorer.
Tom Watson
Guest
I believe the point he is making is that Ireland are NOT in the chasing pack with SA & WB's!!! That there is still a gap between us and NH sides such as Ireland whose lack of SH touring is artificially propping up their world rankings!
Derm
Roar Guru
Exactly OJ. And the three match series were at SANZAR's demands.
Derm
Roar Guru
Eh - he was talking about Ireland never having beaten Nz or SA at home in their countries. Which is true. Some SA fans are cheesed off that Ireland beat SA for a fifth time and argue that if Ireland were playing away they wouldn't have won. And that Ireland haven't played in SA since 2004. It takes two to tango though. SA have to invite Ireland before they can tour there. No one seems to know why that didn't happen. The next time is a three match series in 2016 in SA.
firstxv
Guest
Don't think you get to make the rules though Armand. Ireland have proved they are in the top 3 because they are ranked at no. 3 by the only official rating system that there is. So there is more merit in that than your argument which is really just an opinion. That Ireland hasn't been to SA recently is hardly their fault. By your argument should Ireland win the world cup next year and be ranked no. 1 or two they would still not have proved themselves as top 3 material. That is obviously rubbish.
Wardad
Guest
Yes France have got the wood on NZ after all they have won ....now just how many tests vs NZ have they won since 2007 ? Unless the frogs shove some more ''incentiviser'' up their gallic snouts again I wouldnt worry too much .
Wardad
Guest
Your like a stuck record with the same nonsense about the ABS taking there time after the english try.,Because as we all know england would never try to do anything like going into a huddle before each line out or dawdling along to the line outs and scrums and falling down ''injured '' at the drop of a hat ,when it suits them. If an ABS injured you know damn well he is and refs dont hold up play as they do for NH players feigning injury and having all their wee boo boos attended too. Remember where the home of 'bloodgate '' is
Armand van Zyl
Roar Guru
I think you misread the point The Twins. When I say Ireland has never beaten SA or NZ at home then I mean Ireland has never beaten them in SA or NZ. Which is exactly the point. I don't think you can classify Ireland as a top three team when they can't prove their worth away from home. It would be like saying South Africa are better than New Zealand because we have more wins in SA than NZ do. Ireland are a good team but they haven't proven themselves to be a top three team. The day they leave Ireland and beat NZ, AUS and SA in their respective countries like England did in 2002-2003 then we can talk.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Well said Dan. Its wide open and I don't think any QF will be a foregone conclusion. The only potential quarter finalist who on paper seems perhaps not quite there yet is in pool B (Scotland or Samoa, behind the saffas). The rest can beat anyone on their day.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
"SA and Aus have reality checks all the time. Just when you think you’re there you get proven wrong quite savagely." Armand, I haven't heard nor read any Irish fans, players, coach etc say they 'were there' yet. They have had a tremendous 2014 season, have beaten 3 of the 4 RC teams in the last 6 months and its only fair they're pleased with the way they are going. I reckon Irish folks have been through enough in their lives to not be carried away by a couple of wins in rugby. They play as much top level rugby as any other teams and have as many reality checks as you say as anyone else. It sometimes feels like some saffa fans see themselves as the 'de facto, outright' n2 and the only ones who have the right to dare think they can one day beat the AB! We all want the same mate. As beef says, "All Blacks are a class apart. Ireland, like the boks and wallabies, are all in the chasing pack." Personally, the more the merrier and I think its great news for rugby that teams like Ireland and maybe soon Scotland are joining the chasers' pack. A sport with only 2 contenders would be boring and although all results didn't go 'my' way during this tour, I think Scotland's resurgence, Tonga's good results, Argies winning in france, wallabies losing twice etc is good news for world rugby.
firstxv
Guest
there arent better ones in the NH and he was classy versus South Africa. I'm as critical as the next AB fan about his performances against us but I'm not blind to his abilities. Bit short sighted to rewind back to an AB match. He's the best of the NH- and which are classier than he twins? our two or 3 I suppose?
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Schmidt wasn't the coach when Ireland last toured New Zealand. It was Declan Kidney. And the All Blacks escaped with a 22-19 win the test before that 60-0 rout on an ugly dropgoal from Carter. Due to the IRB's future tours programme, Ireland don't really have the opportunity to play the SANZAR sides away on a regular basis. They tour SA in 2016 for a three match series and Australia in 2018. I believe at the end of their 2012 tour to NZ it was said they wouldn't tour NZ again for another 12 years.