1
'When push really comes to shove': Why this champion Ireland side is not 'truly great'
Ireland captured back-to-back Six Nations titles with a clinching 17-13 win over Scotland in Dublin which put this crop of Irish players in rarefied air.
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Ireland joined England as the only nations to win back-to-back titles twice in the expanded Six Nations era since the year 2000, and became the first team since England’s 2016-17 to complete the feat.
After just two losses in their last 23 Tests, Ireland have swept all before them with an unprecedented winning run for the nation including 18 straight and a series win in New Zealand over the All Blacks.
But former Ireland fullback Rob Kearney, who was a part of Joe Schmidt’s stellar side for years, questioned whether they can be considered “truly great” on the world stage.
“Today will have a little bit of a say in that,” Kearney told Virgin Media Sport said before Ireland’s win.
“I think to be a truly, truly great team, to be a truly great Irish team, I think we need to be getting past a quarter-final of a World Cup.
“When you have such a golden opportunity like a Grand Slam last week, when push really comes to shove against England, when you are the better team, can you turn up and do it on the day? And they came up a little bit short.
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“We know they are better than a good team, but are they a great one? Not just yet.
Ex-Ireland international wing Shane Horgan echoed Kearney’s sentiment that the bar for global greatness is a World Cup victory.
He believed nothing else that Ireland achieves will matter without claiming a William Webb Ellis trophy.
“In the context of international rugby, I don’t think you can be a great team in the World Cup era without winning a World Cup,” Horgan said.
“No matter what else you do. So if you like at the truly great sides, that England World Cup side from 2003, they won Grand Slams as well.
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“But it was the World Cup that made them great. The Aussies sides in the 90s, great sides, they won the Bledisloe, they won Tri-Nations, but what really counted was winning a World Cup.
“That’s the bar again that Ireland are judged with. Outside of that international stage, is this Irish side great in the context of other Irish teams? I think probably yes.”
Ex-Scotland coach Matt Williams said that there will be “missed opportunities” for this side, but they have solidified their place in Irish rugby.
Six Nations
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Ireland
5
4
1
0
20
2
France
5
3
1
1
15
3
England
5
3
2
0
14
4
Scotland
5
2
3
0
12
5
Italy
5
2
2
1
11
6
Wales
5
0
5
0
4
“This team has won in New Zealand, no one else has done that in the Northern Hemisphere,” Williams said.
“They didn’t perform at the World Cup and we all know it. But it’s possible to have two thoughts in your mind at the same time.
“This is an exceptional Irish team, they have done things that no other Irish team has done. But when they get to the end, they’ll say we’ve missed some opportunities. That’s the point.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
43 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
2 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
43 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
43 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
2 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to comments