Ireland world cup

yogidc26

Just wondering what everyone thinks Irelands chances are of winning the world cup?

I think if we can win are group we might have a chance of getting to the final but that means betting the Frogs on the home soil don’t know if we are good enough for that

zAbbo

Not much point discussing this (again) before the RWC squad is announced.

Sundy

zabbo wrote:

Not much point discussing this (again) before the RWC squad is announced.

The squad isnt going to make much difference to irelands chances, we all know Eddies prefered 15 that will contest the big games. The rest of the players will simply make up the numbers.

shmaido

zabbo wrote:

Not much point discussing this (again) before the RWC squad is announced.

When is that by the way?

on topic though, a lot of things have to go right for us ie: no injuries to the big three: ROG, BOD, POC, with these three players still intact our chances dramatically improve, loose one of them and we're quite foocked.

this whole world cup I feel is going to be one huge nail biting affair for irish rugby fans.

marco_polo

shmaido wrote:

When is that by the way?

on topic though, a lot of things have to go right for us ie: no injuries to the big three: ROG, BOD, POC, with these three players still intact our chances dramatically improve, loose one of them and we're quite foocked.

this whole world cup I feel is going to be one huge nail biting affair for irish rugby fans.

I would add D'Arcy to that list too as we are not enamoured with proven quality inside or outside centers as backup.

I await this world cup with nervous anticipation, this is a bit of a stupid statement but with the draw the way it is everything from from group elimination to making the final are almost equally possible with this team. However if I were a betting man I would still stick my money on a honourable QF exit to New Zealand.

However I wouldn't be too surprised if we won the group, If we did this then the semi final at least looks very likely. That would be a massive achievement for Irish rugby.

Utopia Parkway

yogidc26 wrote:

Just wondering what everyone thinks Irelands chances are of winning the world cup?

I think if we can win are group we might have a chance of getting to the final but that means betting the Frogs on the home soil don’t know if we are good enough for that

Our chances aren't helped by

A. Being in a bitch of a group
B. The fact that whoever finishes 2nd in our group will play New Zealand

If we could win our group Ireland could conceivably make it all the way to the final. Certainly the semi-finals.

Aesop

We are unlikely to beat France in the pool stages. Our chances of beating Argentina depends on the injuries we carry from the French game. I think O'Gara is the main worry as we have nothing to match him on the bench and it's an absolutely pivotal position. If we are lucky with injuries I think we will beat Argentina. So odds are we come second in the group and we play the all-blacks in the QF. Chances of us beating the all-blacks in a world cup....not good. Odds of us beating the all-blacks and avoiding enough serious injuries to beat the likes of SA and France later in the competition...even worse.

So to answer your question :-

"Just wondering what everyone thinks Ireland's chances are of winning the world cup?"

Very very remote. Paddypower's odds of 14-1 are laughable.

Erin Go Brath

Reckon we'll beat the Argies and probably lose to France at home tbh. QF exit to NZ is where the smart money is on.

If we beat France though, the skys the limit. If our key men stay out of the treatment room we could just win the damn thing and shock the world. What a session that would be

Diamondmaker

It is critical that the Argies dont bruise too many of ours either. regardless of who we meet in next match, given this is the lat pool game we play.

Utopia Parkway

We are unlikely to beat France in the pool stages

I think France will undoubtably be favourites but I think we can beat them although it will require a big performance. Important to start well against them and get the home crowd on their cases if the game is close. I think they are far from unbeatable but beating them will still require a clinical Irish performance. Last few games against the French we have started very slowly and let them get away from us. Can't afford to do it again at the RWC.

Hopefully Ireland go all out to win the group as the potential rewards are huge. Even qualifying in second place may be something of a poisoned chalice with the All-Blacks waiting.

Pinetree Boy

Can someone remind me how the pools were decided. It does seem ridiculous that France and Ireland are in the same pool and that the runner up has to meet the ABs. Is it based on the last WRC finish?

thebaz

as good as the current Irish team is i can't see us beating the All Blacks, particluarly if we pick up injuries.. although ,i think we will top our group, and beat France and Argentina ... the loss at Croker may have been a good thing.

Pinetree Boy

I think the French will be most vulnerable in the pool play and there is no reason Ireland can't beat them. Personally as a Kiwi I would prefer Ireland in the QF simply because you never know which French side will turn up on the day.

tHE vAGGABOND

if we win the group we have a gigantic chance of winning the world cup and if we come second we loose to NZ in Cardiff

Pinetree Boy

tHE vAGGABOND wrote:

if we win the group we have a gigantic chance of winning the world cup and if we come second we loose to NZ in Cardiff

Don't be so pessimistic. NZ would prefer to play Ireland but no one with any sense down here thinks the result is a forgone. Ireland ran NZ close on its tour down here and provided it can field it A squad have as much chance on the day as anyone.

Diamondmaker

Pinetree Boy wrote:

Can someone remind me how the pools were decided. It does seem ridiculous that France and Ireland are in the same pool and that the runner up has to meet the ABs. Is it based on the last WRC finish?

Yes based on 4 yr old data, how can a system that allows 3/4 , 5 and 6 world ranked teams into one group Ill never know.

A B C D pool
1 2 3 4 rank
5 6 7 8 rank........ seems to make more sense!!

and so on allowing for qulifiers etc....