Last week’s win over (an admittedly woeful) Australia came with a lot of positives for Ireland.
Andy Farrell mixed up his selection with Paddy McCarthy starting at loosehead prop ahead of Andrew Porter and Mack Hansen being trialled at full-back, while the use of Caelan Doris at openside flanker instead of his customary No8 slot was another nod to widening options for the World Cup in two years’ time.
It felt like the penny had finally dropped for Farrell, a realisation that (as Ronan O’Gara pointed out last week in his Irish Examiner column) after 40 years of failure, ‘the only thing that should concern the IRFU is the World Cup. We have always peaked between World Cups so any chance we try something different?’
Andy Farrell. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Farrell tried something different last week. This week? Back to the tried and failed.
The team that Farrell named yesterday to face the Springboks shows minimal changes to the one that lost the World Cup quarter-final to New Zealand two years ago – and all of those changes are enforced.
Hugo Keenan is not available for tomorrow’s clash through injury while Johnny Sexton and Peter O’Mahony have retired. James Ryan did not start two years ago, but only because he was injured.
Jonathan Sexton. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
So, Farrell (bar-enforced changes) is basically sticking to the team that came up short in 2023.
And if it came up short at the last World Cup, why do we think this team can end the quarter-final hoodoo at the next World Cup, when this already aged side will be four years older? What are we at?
As O’Gara pointed out, the key point is being lost here. And the key point is the following…This. Game. Does. Not. Matter. If Ireland beat the back-to-back world champions tomorrow does that make them the new world champions? No, this is not boxing.
Ronan O’Gara. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
If Ireland beat the best team in the world tomorrow (and the Springboks are some distance ahead), does that make Ireland the best in the world? No. They still haven’t won a World Cup quarter-final.
What do we learn tomorrow about Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Garry Ringrose, Jamison Gibson-Park, Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Doris, Josh van der Flier, Finlay Bealham, Jack Conan off the bench) that we did not know already?
We know they are good players. We know they have proven themselves against the best repeatedly – we do not need to see it again. What we do not know is how effective they will still be in 2027 and if they are not up to it, what happens then?
Craig Casey. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Tomorrow is the perfect opportunity to stress-test the likes of Craig Casey, Paddy McCarthy, Tom Farrell and Thomas Clarkson from the start or, if we extend the net, talents like Tom Ahern and Zak Ward who could have a real impact in two years’ time.
Bar the enforced changes from 2023 – O’Brien, Sam Prendergast and Ryan Baird – we are not going to glean a whole lot, win or lose.
Yes, victory over the Boks would create a feel-good factor and keep the corporates happy but ultimately, it does not amount to a whole hill of beans. We know this from the last World Cup, when we won the pool game, partied, and then crashed out while they won the whole thing.