RWC: Top 10 Reasons Ireland Flopped

by Brendan Cole

Why did Ireland flop at RWC 2007? Check out our Top 10, and then register your opinion via our user ratings system. (NB: rate the reason high if you think it's correct and low if you think it's wrong.)

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1: Team Selection: 'Untouchables' vs 'Unusables'

Whatever your opinion of the team and squad picked for the opening match against Namibia, this theory holds that Eddie O'Sullivan should have made drastic changes to the team prior to the Georgia game. This would have shaken up the squad prior to the big matches against France and Argentina, and might well have resulted in an improved performance in the Georgia match itself.

But after years of creating a perception that certain players in the squad were of a standard way above that of certain other players - by taking only 15 players for training in Spala for example - Eddie O'Sullivan became fixated on an idealised notion of what one particular XV could achieve on this World Cup.

Unlike France and England, who tanked in their first big games but made serious changes in the aftermath, Ireland, by not re-vitalising the starting XV, failed to create even the possibility that a turnaround in form might happen.

Consider the case of Thierry Dusautoir - not even selected in the initial French 30-man squad and by no means considered a superior player to any of the top six or seven Irish back rowers prior to RWC 2007. Dropped into the first XV for a specific tactical reason (his speed), he was France's best forward over 80 minutes against New Zealand.

All over the World Cup we saw extraordinary exploits from otherwise ordinary players. Ireland were stagnant by comparison, and paid the price.  

2: Eddie O'Sullivan: 'How Dare He Ruin Our Holiday!'

OK, so the coach has to take responsibility, and in terms of the entirety of RWC 2007, O'Sullivan undoubtedly struggled to make good decisions. For example, why did he name the team almost a week early every time?

Basically, this one is for you if you think Eddie was to blame for everything. It's getting six from me as, while I don't believe he caused everything to go wrong, he certainly created some of the condtions - polarising the squad for example - and then compounded the error by continuing to pick a failing team even after it became clear that the theory of a 'super 15' was not working in practice.

In his favour, O'Sullivan is correct to say that Ireland were unlucky to run into two good teams in France and Argentina.

But then, as if he hadn't done enough already, he was mean to that nice reporter on the telly!

3: Out-half Problem: 'It's a 10 Thing'

Basically, this would hold that Ireland's failure is rooted in the fact that the player they had come to rely on most heavily over the success years, Ronan O'Gara, lost his form, and that despite this he was not started on the bench against Georgia or replaced in either of the big games.

To explain: the out-half is the most influential position on the field, touching the ball in decision-making and difficult skill execution situations more often than any other. As seen in the New Zealand v France quarter-final, it is hard for any team to cope when he suddenly loses form.

In O'Gara's case, it is worth noting that he had suffered form dips before, so much so that he was labelled a player that struggled under pressure early in his career. Also interesting is that on several occasions, he could go from hot to cold surprisingly quickly, a phenomenon based mainly on healthy competition from David Humphreys.

Like James Hook at Wales, who can play very poorly despite his talent but often experiences an upsurge when the possibility of showing up Stephen Jones enters the equation, could it be that O'Gara would have responded well in the next game, or a key final 20 minutes, to being dropped?

4: 'Strings theory': Player Personality Clashes

Could it be that - like John, Paul, George and Ringo -  ROG, BOD, POC and Strings just stopped getting on? This theory is based on the idea that amid a squad-wide ban on alcohol, the players actually got to know one another properly and, quite soon after, realised they didn't really like the men they'd be sharing a grim French hotel with for the next month or so, resulting in what the coaches call a 'drop in level'.

Another variation would that, in the manner of a Lions Tour gone wrong, the squad split along provincial lines with the Munster 'liginds', the Leinster latte lovers and the super serious men of the North each forming separate groups within the squad. Gavin Duffy (Connacht), Simon Easterby and Geordan Murphy would, presumably, have formed even smaller groups of their own........

In retrospect, the time big bad captain Drico shouted at poor defenceless little Peter Stringer during the Georgia game could have been a turning point.

On the other hand, it could be that the team started playing badly and then the squabbling set in. Or, just maybe, the players syndicated newspaper columns* are totally true and they all got along famously during the whole of RWC 2007......(ed: don't be silly).

* The ones that read: 'Met X for tea in our lovely hotel; everything is fine. I promise.'

5: Wrong Back Row Balance

Basically, the premise of this would be that by picking a poorly configured and out of form back row, Eddie O'Sullivan made what had appeared to be a strength into a weakness.

This had more currency early in the tournament, before New Zealand and Australia, both playing with genuine opensides, were dumped out. But it should be noted that the teams that have played well, from Fiji to France and England, have used an exceptionally fast, openside style players at seven, at least on the days when they've played their best.  

Ireland had neither a quick and destructive defender in the mould of Thierry Dusautoir (flavour of the week at www.rte.ie; see also reason number one) or Lewis Moody - both of whom got among and upset SANZAR opposition - or a genuine 'on the deck' player that might have freed up their centres to play more rugby on their feet and speeded up an at times unbelievably stagnant breakdown area.

6: Fitness and Conditioning Failure

During their victory over England at Croke Park this year, Ireland looked to have reached a new level physically. Hard work at a specialist facility in Spala, long conditioning spells pre-season and an unprecedented emphasis on producing players in peak physical condition were credited with being the force behind the win.

Things began to unravel against Namibia (who claimed to feel they had been fitter than Ireland) and Georgia and came totally unstuck against France and Argentina.

Eventually, even Denis Leamy, the only forward who appeared to enjoy a significant physical advantage in the minnow games, was unable to make an impact in the collisions.

France in particular seemed to physically dominate Ireland and it seems as though somebody somewhere made a mistake in calculating the optimum 'periodisation' for this Ireland squad.

7: Tactical Failure: Ireland Got Figured Out

This would hold that Ireland struggled first and foremost because they became predictable. Certainly some of the ploys seemed obvious - repeated crash balls by Gordon D'Arcy - hinted at a certain amount of tactical bankruptcy, and some of the other backlines seemed to have more depth and variety of running angle in their play.

On the other hand, it could be that Ireland were not able to play more sophisticated rugby because both physically and in skill terms they were not up to it.

8: Just Not Good Enough

Could it have been that, although Ireland managed to thrash England and Italy in the Six Nations, and beat moderate South Africa and Australia teams in November, they ultimately were not talented enough to do well at this level?

Against this theory is that they lived well enough with France in the Six Nations and to all intents and purposes had them beaten at Croke Park. One way or another they have decent form against a World Cup finalist.

While it may be true that Ireland weren't quite as good as we thought, neither did they play to the potential they had displayed at other times.

This theory took a real bashing on RWC Quarter-Final weekend.

9: Skills Failure - Not Enough Rugby

Did you know that Ireland had a skills coach? So many times during this tournament, failures at basic offloading, passing and kicking cost Ireland momentum, possession and field position, particularly against the minnows.

It has been suggested that too much time was spent honing the bodies, and not even the sharpness of mind and reflex that go into building the level of skill required for international rugby.

It also appears that, like New Zealand, Ireland were generally short of rugby matches.

10: Musical Differences: It's Phil Coulter's Fault!

This theory is based on the premise that the music is what matters when it comes to getting psychologically prepared for international rugby.

Because Amhrán na bhFiann was not played, it is proposed, some (the non-Northern element) of the team were struggling to get up for the games.

Suggested prominently in a newspaper article by a former player who is currently banned from the professional game for punching an Ulster supporter during a Heineken Cup game, it is of dubious merit. Ultimately, the issue is more a symbol that Irish rugby is, at the moment, something of a house divided more than anything else.  

To be fair, the version of the (popular when we're winning) Ireland's Call used by the organisers was a bit of a stinker: too fast and with what sounded like the seven dwarves singing along on the tape, it will hopefully find its way to a Parisien bin without ever being heard again. It's no surprise that Argentina's anthem - with minimal lyrics and a slow pace even the RWC 2007 marketing bods version can't force beyond the funereal - has performed best at singing time.