I thought this thread would be safe from a lot of the rubbish posted on the match thread, but it seems you have to endure this crap in here too.
Ireland were second best across almost every facet of play, and were still inches from winning. They very nearly found a way, like the very best sides do.
Laughing stock of World Rugby? This team has gained nothing but respect from rugby supporters around the world over the last few years, and with the systems in place, the future looks bright.
You also need to give NZ more credit for how they played. There's no evidence that France or SA will destroy them. NZ forwards performed how SA's did against Ireland, but they also have the firepower to score tries from anywhere. If they play like they did tonight, they will be a challenge for anyone. They definitely won't be taking a victory over Argentina as a given, either.
I know a good few Irish rugby supporters, and they're all decent lads who get in behind the team and are proud of what they've achieved over the last few years. I know that not one of them are going to kick them while they're down, I have no idea what satisfaction you get from being 'that guy'. Maybe you need to pick a different sport to follow, or maybe sport isn't for you at all.
As has been regularly mentioned we’ve all known about the draw for ages so no point complaining now, but……….if SA get beaten by France tonight then all 3 of the top 5 that were in Pool B are gone. It’s just not right.
It's quite possible that all the NH teams be out after tonight such a trend has started.
It was stated after last world cup Sexton at 38 was too old to be around at the next world. last night confirmed that.
He wasn't too old to be around at this world cup at all, personally I felt he needed taken off with 10/15 mins to go, but that doesn't mean he was too old for the WC
England will beat Fiji.
France SA is impossible to call other than to say that when France get their tails up in Paris they are very hard to subdue.
I was consoling myself last night with the fact that in reality does it matter if you get knocked out in the QF or SF? It matters now I suppose, but post tournament it means little.
Of course the annoying thing is if we won last night we'd almost certainly have reached the final and that's the devastating part.
Too old to be a pivotal player as opposed to being around.
They very nearly found a way, like the very best sides do.
But they didn't. When the opportunities came, they wilted. Kelleher getting white line fever, Sexton missing the kick, Sheehan not taking Hansen's kick, Doris' knock on (surprise, surprise) and all the other coughed up ball in their 22. NZ were there for the taking and we failed to capitalise. That's not something to celebrate. Not to mention completely not showing up for the first 20, which we do in literally every quarter final, and the scrum and lineout going to absolute pot.
People want it both ways. They want to call us the best team in the world before the match, and then when we lose treat us like plucky underdogs who earned some moral victory. It's rubbish. We had the chances to win that game and we bottled it.
And also, the "very best sides" get past the last 8.
Spot on heroic defeat was not the planned objective. The performance in the first 20,was that of bottlers.
TRC you genuinely add nothing of value to a discussion. Just a list of talking points that you've been proven wrong about time after time and a narrative of the game which is just a straight up lie.
You've a list of players you don't like and have been waiting for any chance to get a dig in.
Your post quite literally added nothing of value to the discussion
Take your doom and gloom elsewhere please, its rather tiresome
You do not seem to understand.
world ranking not meaning a thing.
ireland are not even close to number 1 in the world.
would it not have been great if we developed a number 10 in the last 17 matches and lost a few that could have come on last night?
the number 1 team in the world is south africa the current world champions.
teams preparing for a world cup and we going on 4 day bender celebrating grand slams.
You don't think they have developed Crowley in the last 18 months? Would losing games in the 6N actually mean a outhalf is developed? Do you really think that the Irish players console themselves with being world no 1, or is just lazy pundits and arseholes on the internet who are pretending they like the game to earn a living and troll fans?
How many caps has crowley got? How many starts?
He has had 9 caps and 3 starts.
How many starts would he have needed to guarantee that Ireland beat New Zealand?
Yeah the 'very best sides' like Argentina and probably England.... come off it...
Going forward, I think we've a special talent in Joe McCarthy. He looked the business in the final 25 minutes and was making effective tight carries when we were desperate for momentum.
If he can stay fit he'll be a huge asset to Leinster and Ireland.
Sorry - I fully understand the point I am making. It is not my problem if you don't.
I did not say anything about specific positions in the top 5 - even if you think SA were 1st and Ireland 2nd, 3rd or 4th, the fact is that based on, (say) the last year's results, the rankings were much more accurate than the draw. There is a vast difference between having a single top nation in your group and having two.
you do not understand.
we are winning matches when other teams
are preparing for a world cup
what other country second choice outhalf has 3 starts?
the draw was a refelction on what we did in the 2019 world cup. We were worse then 2023.
world cup games what count
I understand fully. Joey Carberry had 40 caps and was played and beaten New Zealand. Would he have been a better option? Even if Crowley is a far better player?
Jack Crowley literally only became a viable option last season. Farrell hotshotted him into the side ahead of far more experienced and established 10's.
It's an issue that we don't have a ready-made replacement for Sexton, but it's not one of the national teams making. That's down to the provinces to sort out.
I don't know how anyone can have watched that game and come to the conclusion that Ireland wilted.
we would know where crowley is if he played france in the 6 nations??
we should have used these matches to prep for a world cup. Simple
Crowley and Prendergast are next in line, and its not a depressing state of affairs really.
Simple indeed. Crowley started against Australia.
Australia, a team that not even get out of there group on the weak side of the draw.
you got me good there with tht example.
should have started all 6 nations games
Do you watch rugby?
