Sean O'Brien fears Ireland walking down same old World Cup blind alley
Former Ireland flanker Sean O’Brien has expressed fears that Ireland are once again headed towards Rugby World Cup ‘trouble’ if they don’t make changes over the next 18 months.
Ireland have an infamously poor record at Rugby World Cups. Despite rankings that would suggest otherwise, they have never progressed further than a quarter-final and have twice not made it out of the pool stages of the flagship tournament.
One continuing criticism has been that Ireland have peaked in the middle of World Cup cycles, only to arrive at the tournament stale.
Ireland’s Grand Slam dreams and nine-match winning streak were halted by the French, but there remains a sense that this Ireland side are once again riding high. A victory over the All Blacks in the Autumn and the attractive brand of attacking rugby they’re playing indicate that Ireland are starting to peak.
Despite this success, or maybe because of it, fears are being voiced that the men in green have once again got their timing wrong.
Joe Schmidt’s Ireland of 2018 looked similarly convincing a year out from Japan. Few Test teams that year had an answer for the New Zealander’s box-kick and contest strategy that saw them pick up a Grand Slam in the spring and a rare victory over Steve Hansen’s All Blacks as part of an Autumn clean sweep.
Yet by the time they made it to the 2019 Rugby World Cup, teams had worked Ireland out and Schmidt’s men seemed tired, lacking direction and – crucially – a plan B.
O’Brien, a veteran of two World Cups believes, speaking with the Daily Mail, Andy Farrell’s men could be once again driving down the same World Cup cul-de-sac.
“Ireland are playing a better brand of rugby than they’ve ever played. It’s a Leinster-style of rugby, but with an offloading game. They have options everywhere,” O’Brien said.
“Hopefully by the time the next World Cup comes around they’ll be in a really good place because that’s the stumbling block Ireland have come across in the last few years. I think that’s the trick.
“If Ireland were to stay as they are now right up until the next World Cup, they’ll probably be in trouble again. It’s about coming to a World Cup with something teams haven’t seen before.
“At previous World Cups, teams had us figured out when we got there and we didn’t have other options.”
O’Brien isn’t alone in voicing his concerns, with former Scotland and Leinster coach Matt Williams making a similar point recently, although his chief concern was with Farrell’s conservative selection policy.
“… nobody is thinking of giving game time to key backup players, because, heaven forbid, Ireland might lose a match. No-one is at all interested in preparing for the next World Cup,” wrote Williams in The Irish Times.
“That is if you don’t include France, who have been planning for the 2023 World Cup for more than seven years. Fabien Galthié took his second and third choice team to Australia last summer to give them big match experience. New Zealand always plan ahead. Look at their depth chart at 3, 10 and 15. The Boks and the Wallabies are fixated on the World Cup cycle, as are Eddie Jones and England, but apart from them, no-one is really planning for France 2023 . . . are they?”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments