Ireland WRC 2015 Review
So Ireland will not be in the last 4 of the year’s Rugby World Cup after a 43-20 defeat to Argentina. Ireland will now need to go back a review what has gone wrong in this World Cup. A week in sport is a long time , given the fact that France were beaten and then they were completely dismantled by a very determined and clinical New Zealand side that is coming to the boil at the correct time and they look well placed to become the 1st side to defend the World Cup.
Back to Ireland they will look back on yesterday’s game with regrets but to give Argentina great credit, from the opening whistle they set about pulling Ireland around the field and stretching the Irish defence. There scrum was a real weapon and was a major help in helping Argentina to another World Cup victory over Ireland.
Ireland will want to forget the opening 20 minutes that saw them concede 2 tries and almost concede a third only for a TMO intervention that saw it ruled out for a player being in front of the kicker. Argentina had shown throughout this World Cup and in the last few Rugby Championships that they have wanted to move away from the 10 man game that has served them so well in the recent past and helped the secure 3rd place in France in 2007.
Ireland have a few choices to make in the aftermath of that defeat to Argentina, they will need to make a choice between sticking to the game plan that has delivered 2 Six Nations titles in recent years. The game plan that has been used since 2013 is based around a strong scrum, strong line out and a number of “power plays” the coin an NFL phrase. We have also seen Ireland go from a team that could use the line out maul as a real strength to it becoming a weakness and a place that other teams attacked and were also able to defend against.
Keith Earls in particular came into his own in this World Cup but that happened on the wing and again yesterday he was shown up on a number of occasions. Jared Payne was really missed in both games in defence and also in attack.
Henshaw and Payne were a really strong combination before the World Cup and they also showed glimpses before Jared Payne was injured and replaced by Keith Earls. Ireland did miss Payne’s calming influence outside Madigan. Darren Cave got a look in before the World Cup against Wales in Cardiff and showed real composure playing inside Earls in the 1st warm up game.
Ireland will want to review what happened in this World Cup and why the main aim of a Rugby World Cup Semi Final was not achieved. Although the injuries sustained by Paul O Connell , Jonathan Sexton , Peter O Mahony and the suspension of Sean O Brien were contributing factors in Ireland’s defeat, It is yet another disappointing campaign that promised so much and delivered another memorable performance with that victory over France but yet again that elusive Semi Final appearance will not happen and we will now have to wait until 2019 in Japan to put that right.
Argentina have 2 Semi Final appearances in World Cups and Ireland have never advanced beyond the Quarter Final stage , that is a sobering thought for anybody associated with the IRFU. Here’s hoping that from the 2016 Six Nations onwards that Ireland can regain lost ground steming from that Argentina defeat.
By
Cian Mc Gibney
19/10/2015
