Ireland doesn’t scream rugby league powerhouse, but they might well be able to shock the world come October.
The Wolfhounds have exited at the Group Stage in the last two World Cups, but in neither could you say that saw any of the famed national propensity for luck.
In 2013, they got lumped into a group with Australia, England and Fiji, or three of the four semi-finalists, and then in 2017, a quirk of the draw saw them depart the tournament despite winning two from three, when Samoa went through despite not winning at all. No, don’t ask why.
Demographics are everything in sport and Ireland have plenty of them: the biggest ethnic minority in the North of England is Irish people – though some have been there so long that they no longer qualify under the grandparent rule – and, in case you missed it, the diaspora is fairly present in Australia too.
Ireland will have a team filled with Super League talent and sprinkled with NRL players. They have a decent group, too: Jamaica first in what should be a blockbuster in Leeds, given the prevalence of both communities within the city, then Lebanon, then New Zealand. Ireland could be through by the time they face the Kiwis.
Make no mistake, too, this isn’t a passport XIII with no roots. The Irish domestic comp goes from strength to strength and they will be able to field teams in the men’s, wheelchair and PDRL competitions, with the women likely to qualify in 2025 too.
Ronan Michael will be the star recruit and the first domestically-produced player to feature at the World Cup since living legend Brian Carney turned out in 2000. Even for sentimental reasons, he’ll get picked.
That 2000 tournament is the benchmark. Coach Ged Corcoran has spoken repeatedly about bringing back the spirit of the team that pushed England all the way in the quarter finals that year and featured Luke Ricketson, Kevin Campion, Barrie McDermott, Chris Joynt, Steve Prescott, Terry O’Connor and I could go on.
A young, misty-eyed Ireland fan stood in the rain that night in Headingley to get his shirt signed by the lot of them. He’s still got it in a draw at his Ma’s house. If you were expecting impartiality in this squad preview, you might have to go elsewhere for it.
Ireland benefit from a relatively settled squad of Super League talent. George King of Hull KR will captain the side, with stars of the qualification campaign like Liam Byrne and James Bentley, prop Rob Mulhern and centre Toby King, brother of captain George.
There’s a fair few less established, but still Super League standard players. Dan Norman is rewarded for St Helens’ finish to the season with a World Cup gig, as is Hull KR’s Frankie Halton.
Huddersfield will provide brothers Louis and Innes Senior. Like any Gaelic football team, you’re not legitimate in Irish sport unless you can field at least two sets of brothers and preferably several cousins as well.
English lower league names include a trio from table-toppers Leigh: Keanan Brand, Ed Chamberlain and James McDonnell, who played there on loan from Wigan.
Also from the upper reaches of the Champo come halfback Joe Keyes of Halifax, Brendan O’Hagan of York, Ben Mathiou of Featherstone and Michael Ward of Batley.
(NRLPhotos)
The NRL contingent are a little more unsettled, because they haven’t featured in the past for a whole host of reasons. Fitness permitting, Luke Keary is a huge in and will likely play at halfback alongside Richie Myler of Leeds. It’s possible that Myler switches to fullback, however, with Dean playing 7 and Keary at 6.
Jaimin Jolliffe is another big name, along with Harry Rushton, who featured for Canberra this year, and from the lower grades, Josh Cook at the Bulldogs, Henry O’Kane of the Tigers and James Hasson from Souths.
1 Richie Myler
2 Ed Chamberlain
3 Toby King
4 Louis Senior
5 Innes Senior
6 Joe Keyes
7 Luke Keary
8 Liam Byrne
9 Josh King
10 Jaimin Jolliffe
11 Keanan Brand
12 James Bentley
13 George King
14 Frankie Halton
15 Ben Mathiou
16 Dan Norman
17 Brendan O’Hagan
18 Henry O’Kane
19 Harry Rushton
20 Michael Ward
21 James Hasson
22 James McDonnell
23 Rob Mulhern
24 Ronan Michael
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