World cup 2027. Were do Ireland go?

Increasing to 24 would reduce the duration of the tournament, as they won't need the by-weeks.

I think what I read was that they would have 4 teams per pool, thereby reducing number of pool games per team

Yes, with an additional round of 16, but given that each team can play their pool games each week and that the number of teams per pool is one fewer, it ends up one week shorter I think.

Best uncapped XXIII at the moment?

1. Michael Milne
2. Diarmuid Barron
3. Jack Aungier
4. Edwin Edogbo
5. Niall Murray
6. David McCann
7. John Hodnett
8. James Culhane
9. Nathan Doak
10. Sam Prendergast
11. Diarmuid Kilgallen
12. Jamie Osborne
13. Thomas Farrell
14. Tommy O'Brien
15. Stewart Moore
16. John McKee
17. Denis Buckley
18. Roman Salanoa
19. Thomas Ahern
20. Alex Kendellen
21. Paddy Patterson
22. J.J. Hanrahan
23. Ethan McIlroy

Yeah I quite like the sound of it too.

The round of 16 would also increase the competition between teams that don't qualify 1st or 2nd in the pools, given that 4 of the 6 that come 3rd in their pools would be through to knock-out rugby.

Stewart Moore is currently comfortably better than Forde, as is Postlethwaite.

Yeah, in fairness, Postlethwaite is a stretch - you're right to call me on that.

I watch some Connacht games. Forde has been impressive, but Moore is better, I think, whatever about the slippery idea of "potential".

Completely agree with Ulster being on a downward path, but Moore was superb before Dwayne Peel and Payne left - don't think Forde has put together a run of games like Stewart Moore did a season or two ago (when he would have been the age Forde is now).

I’d argue that Forde was vital to Connacht turning their season around after Christmas last year, while Bundee was with Ireland.

I’d also argue that he’s better suited to irelands needs and wants from a 12 than Moore is, hence the potential term being used. Forde can do the battering ram bits that Bundee and McCloskey do but also has brilliant hands as he was an outhalf up until u20s. Also a work horse defensively.

I could see Moore being involved with squads in the future but more as a utility back and there is a lot of competition for that sort of role

The simplest thing to say is just that three/four years is a long time.

People are very excited about a number of young backs in terms of their raw ability, Leinster are getting a new head coach, and the Irish gameplan will have to evolve (and I'd say will change very quickly if Catt is gone.) Every one of those factors will influence Ringrose's hold on the 13 jersey, aside from his own form.

Prendergast would change the entire style of ireland.

So, would Farrell hire him and let him do that, because that would def lead to selection going in different directions. If he doesn’t want to give Prendergast a big say in hiring, then that would be a bad call as system offensively tends to drive selection.

Secondly, that severs the link between ireland and leinster. We currently play a system that at least shares large elements with leinster. Leinster have spent a long time optimizing all the way down to schools for certain player types in certain roles.

Thirdly, that knocks on to hurt the cohesive element of leinster-Ireland.

I think it will be someone who suits what ireland do now mostly.

edit; if you are a munster fan and this happened, its bad but probably increases the amount of players in ireland camp. You basically have a ton of guys who now have intimate knowledge of how the system works that the international team plays. That makes it way easier to walk into practice and outplay someone who has spent the majority of his rugby life playing lancaster ball for leinster or lancaster ball+ for ireland.

It would also prob make casey-crowley a cert. they both really suit prendergast’s game.

Joe McCarthy would be amazing as well actually in that style. Let him keep adding weight.

Catt could be an alien from Mars. You can just watch ireland and leinster play, and see that they have the same style. That’s changed somewhat over the last year but especially when ireland started getting better it was very pronounced.

They basically both play a transition game based on long kicking. Prendergast plays like a french style ball possession game.

When i mean it severs the link, you can no longer say that a Leinster winger will have an intuitive understanding on how to slot in. Also on the lancaster ball thing, we’ll see on that. That is embedded pretty deep.

if they hire prendergast and try to implement the pure version of the system, then i don’t think it will work very well with the current squad.