The IRISH RUGBY thread

[From the Bunker]

They have not won any knockout games and that includes a prelim qf in 1999 against argentina.

I'm talking about the Soccer lads.

[Captain Obvious]

Will be plenty of regrets by the players after that defeat against what was a very beatable New Zealand team.
Just another result and exit added to the list that's getting longer and will it be any different in 2027 in Australia? Eight World Cup Quarter final defeats,once lost a play off before the Quarter final and once didn't get past the group stage. That's consistent and the last match in each World cup the Irish scoring was between 10 and 24 points. 

[Wildweasel74]

Difference is we played underperformed in all those games, 3 been against Argentina, the night we played rightly, had we scored the try 6/7mins from the end, might been a difference story, we needed to be the team with the early lead, first time I ever seen NZ kick for goal so much, normally they try put in it in the corner.

[gallsman]

We played well, miles better than we ever have in any previous QF, but make no mistake, we underperformed in certain areas and positions compared to our current exceptional standards. The morons will of course bang on about it being a bottle job etc, and it certainly wasn't that. New Zealand were excellent, especially at the breakdown, but the game was there to be won. No point pretending otherwise.

Mistakes that we'd never make, panic setting in early etc. We can rue the opportunity that Jordie Barret saved all we want but equally Smith had a clean intercept and was gone other than for slipping. That came from JGP pushing things too much with 30 mins left in the game.

[Eire90]

i hope argentina win it but i think france will.

[Blowitupref]

1991 against Australia remains the most fine margin exit. Performed and pipped at the post and Australia went on to win that World Cup. Will that current New Zealand side go on to win it out now? I think the winner of France or South Africa will likely beat them.

[RedHand88]

The soccer team has won more knockout games? They compete against the whole world.

Have they? In world Cups? I can't think of any? (I'd have Soccer ahead of Rugby as a sport preference, by the way!)

Second round v Romania 1990

[Gael80]

We played well, miles better than we ever have in any previous QF, but make no mistake, we underperformed in certain areas and positions compared to our current exceptional standards. The morons will of course bang on about it being a bottle job etc, and it certainly wasn't that. New Zealand were excellent, especially at the breakdown, but the game was there to be won. No point pretending otherwise.

Mistakes that we'd never make, panic setting in early etc. We can rue the opportunity that Jordie Barret saved all we want but equally Smith had a clean intercept and was gone other than for slipping. That came from JGP pushing things too much with 30 mins left in the game.

It's fine margins at elite level sport. I wouldn't blame the players but after the relentless overconfidence from Irish rugby, we can't blame the rugby world from saying we bottled it.

Listening to rugby journalists this morning it's basically what they're saying when you factor where NZ and Ireland were this year. I'd like to see Irish rugby become humble, it might help the team to progress.

[gallsman]

What overconfidence? All week long the analysis has been that the game was 50/50, Ireland marginal favourites if you had to choose.

They bottled nothing. Nobody in the rugby world is saying we bottled it. That appears to be the exclusive preserve of twats in the internet. They responded to every NZ try with one of their own. At the end of the day one top level rugby side lost a close match to another one which, because of the nature of the particular match, is absolutely gutting.

[Gael80]

What overconfidence? All week long the analysis has been that the game was 50/50, Ireland marginal favourites if you had to choose.

They bottled nothing. Nobody in the rugby world is saying we bottled it. That appears to be the exclusive preserve of twats in the internet. They responded to every NZ try with one of their own. At the end of the day one top level rugby side lost a close match to another one which, because of the nature of the particular match, is absolutely gutting.

I think if you listen carefully to what came out of NZ, Ireland's overconfidence and celebrations post series win focused NZ.

Beating SA was a great win but the post match narrative about that resulting in an easier QF was laughable. I don't blame the players for that, more Irish rugby in general.

I agree there was some last minute analysis about the game being 50/50 but the overconfidence was still there and from a nation yet to win a knock out game or back up the confidence.

We can't complain now about the post match analysis. I agree it is gutting but we've been here before and it is very consistent.

[burdizzo]

Well, Gerry Thornley has Ireland winning at 5-10 points!

Ireland were on the back foot all match, and it would have been a travesty had they stolen it at the end. But they didn't bottle it; just beaten by a slightly better performance from NZ.

[screenexile]

Very little talk of the match here. It was a great game and could have gone either way I'd say it's one of the best test matches in a long time.

All the talk of arrogance is mad there's no way the players were arrogant it was more the D4 heads that got carried away the players have carried themselves very well the past few weeks but it wasn't meant to be.

NZ had their homework done and performed to a high level which was enough to just about beat us. There was very little in it.

Anyone who thought it was going to be a cakewalk is an idiot as NZ had won something like 8/9 of their last QFs and Ireland 0. It was always going to be a big ask.


The draw is the draw and while we've had hard luck this time it's up to us to make the draw go in our favour. NZ in a QF is as bad as it can get but there's no point complaining you'd have to beat them at some stage.

There is every possibility NZ go on to win this thing and whoever does win it will not be beating NZ by a cricket score. Talk of this being the worst NZ team ever is complete bullshit they'll cruise the Semi and give France or South Africa a massive game in the final.

There's no shame in the loss last night it just looks so bad because we've never won a QF. I find it hard to see the team in a better position to win the tournament ever again as this was our best team ever but we'll just have to see how we go next time out and hope we get a more favourable draw to get to the semis.

[gallsman]

Well, Gerry Thornley has Ireland winning at 5-10 points!

Ireland were on the back foot all match, and it would have been a travesty had they stolen it at the end. But they didn't bottle it; just beaten by a slightly better performance from NZ.

5-10 points was not overconfidence. Within that bracket you can have a one score game ffs.

[gallsman]

Very little talk of the match here. It was a great game and could have gone either way I'd say it's one of the best test matches in a long time.

You proceed to say absolutely nothing about the match whatsoever.

[seafoid]

In 2019 after NZ hammered Ireland Steve Hansen went into the dressing room and told the players that they might have had experience of losing matches at the RWC but that didn't mean they had necessarily learnt anything in the process. They have learnt a lot under Farrell. Unfortunately there is still more to learn. We are in a much better place than 2019. In GAA terms I would say yesterday was equivalent to Tyrone in the 95 football final or Galway in the 2015 hurling final.