1987: Quarter Finals
1991: Quarter Finals1995: Quarter Finals
1999: Quarter Final play-off2003: Quarter Finals
2007: Pool Stage2011: Quarter Finals
2015: Quarter FinalsWILL IRISH EYES BE SMILING IN JAPAN?
ince lifting the Six Nations
Championship title, and completing
the Grand Slam, in the spring of
2018, more difficult times have fallen on
Joe Schmidt and his Ireland side, with a
disappointing defence of their title leading to
a third-place finish.
Domestically, though, the provinces once
more put in some stellar displays in 2018/19,
with Leinster crowned kings of the Guinness
PRO14, and denied a fourth Heineken
Champions Cup title only by the might of
Saracens. Munster and Ulster continued
their upward curve, and Connacht looked
back to the form that saw them climb the
PRO14 summit in 2015.
That should give the outgoing Schmidt and
his coaching staff - including Andy Farrell,
the man who will replace the New Zealander
as Ireland Head Coach following the Rugby
World Cup - confidence as they prepare for
the tournament in Japan.
Ireland’s arsenal still includes the current
World Rugby Player of the Year in Johnny
Sexton, while Garry Ringrose and Jacob
Stockdale are two of the finest young talents
on the world stage; and Peter O’Mahony and
Rory Best bring a wealth of experience to
the forward pack.
Injuries have taken their toll already, and
Ireland will undoubtedly miss the breakdown
work of back-row pair Dan Leavy and Sean
O’Brien, but still have the skills of Josh van
der Flier and Jordi Murphy to call upon on
the openside of their scrum.
Squad depth has improved since Schmidt
took over - Ireland fans will cast their minds
back to the injury crisis that struck during the
2015 Rugby World Cup - but such a scenario
should not see Ireland so badly hamstrung in
Japan. They now have top-quality deputies
for each of their starting XV.
The luck of the Irish has never really borne
fruit at a Rugby World Cup - dumped out by
Argentina in 1999, a calamitous campaign
in France in 2007, and then another defeat
to the Pumas four years ago; they will hope
the old adage rings true in the Land of the
Rising Sun.Schmidt’s side begin their campaign against
Scotland, an opposition they will know well
from Six Nations meetings, and domestic
battles. Ireland will start that match as
favourites, and should they see off Gregor
Townsend’s men in Yokohama, they should
go on to win the pool comfortably.
A quarter-final, most likely against the
Springboks, would then await them, and if
they could overcome Rassie Erasmus’ side
in the last eight, there is nothing to stop
a side jam-packed with the experience of
consistently playing knockout rugby could
not go all the way.
Before all that, though, they need to
rediscover their best form and use their
warm-up fixtures against Italy, England and
Wales, not only to fine-tune the squad for
Japan and test out combinations, but to
once more find the type of performances
that saw them defeat the All Blacks for the
first time ever not so long ago.S
IRELAND
COACH:
JOE SCHMIDTGivinG farmers a fair
cut and investinG backinto Grassroots
RUGBY WORLD CUP - TOP 10
28 • WWW.SCRUMMAGAZINE.COM • ISSUE 116 2019