Ireland Rugby Team

Ireland have competed in every Rugby World Cup and they have achieved moderate success in the tournament. Although they are a consistent side – they have reached the quarter finals in eight out of 10 tournaments – the Ireland rugby team has never progressed to the semi-finals.

Ireland were eliminated in the quarter finals in 1987, 1991, 1995, 2003, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023. The team almost progressed to the semi finals in 1991, when they battled Australia in a hard-fought match. With seven minutes remaining, the Irish squad took the lead but Australia turned the tables and secured a 19-18 win.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s worst Rugby World Cup result came in 2007. The Irish squad was drawn in Pool D (the ‘Group of Death’) alongside Argentina and France. To the disappointment of Irish fans, the team crashed out of the tournament after losing against both sides.

The History of the Ireland National Rugby Union Team

Although rugby union had its infancy in Ireland during the 1850s, the Irish Football Union wasn’t formed until 1874. The following year, the Ireland rugby team had its first international match: a 7-0 loss against England. In contrast to their international prowess of today, Ireland didn’t win a test match until 1881.

By the early 20th century, the Ireland national rugby union team was an established international side. Subsequently, they came close to two Grand Slams in the 1926 and 1927 Five Nations. However, the period between the Second World War and the start of the professional era was mixed in terms of success. Highlights included Five Nations titles in the 50s and 70s and quarter-final finishes in several World Cups.

Fast forward to 2019 and Ireland reached the number one spot in the World Rugby Rankings for the first time. They briefly returned to the top rank in 2021 and they were also the highest-ranked rugby nation in the world during both 2022 and 2023.