Let’s get the numbers out of the way for an exceptional Ireland rugby team.
0 — yellow or red cards conceded in the last 11 games, none this year. Only 2 yellows in the last 24 games.
1 — world ranking for the last 13 months, the longest unbroken run by a northern hemisphere side.
7 — defeats in 38 tests in this Rugby World Cup cycle. Those were to France (3), England (2), Wales and New Zealand.
13 — current winning streak, eclipsing Ireland’s previous best of 12 across 2017-18.
82 — winning percentage of coach Andy Farrell, the best by a permanent Ireland coach in the professional era.
If an Ireland side was ever ready to go the whole way and win the World Cup, then this is the one.
The Irish have been a settled side for a long time. Virtually the same team which took the historic series decider against the All Blacks in New Zealand in July last year also won the Six Nations Grand Slam decider against England in Dublin in March. That team came together only once in the World Cup warmups this month, for the last home match of the year: England came to spoil but the Irish netted five tries in third gear.
The starting XV virtually picks itself, and XI of them play for Leinster. The connection can’t be understated. Success has gone hand in hand. Leinster reached the last two European Cup finals. Defeat in both were shocks.
Ireland’s spine is entirely Leinster, from Dan Sheehan and the front row through James Ryan, No. 8 Caelan Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park feeding captain Jonathan Sexton, through center Garry Ringrose to Hugo Keenan providing the safety net at fullback.
Doris and Keenan have been the finds of Farrell’s reign. Within months, they were part of the leadership group. Doris is a schoolboy talent who’s lived up to the hype. Keenan emerged from behind Jordan Larmour and Jacob Stockdale and since the 2021 Six Nations has been one of the first names picked.
They are among 18 in the 33-man squad going to their first World Cup. The veterans include four going to a third World Cup, and a fourth Cup for Conor Murray, Keith Earls and Sexton.
Sexton has been on ice since mid-March, first because of a groin injury, then suspension after verbally abusing referee Jaco Peyper following the European Cup final defeat in June. Peyper isn’t refereeing any of their World Cup pool games against Romania, Tonga, South Africa and Scotland.
Sexton will be fresh for his test rugby swansong, to conduct Ireland’s intricate attack for one last campaign. Nobody has his birds-eye view of the game, so the need to keep his 38-year-old body on the field is acute.
That won’t be easy, as Sexton is one of the best defensive flyhalves around, in a defense that loves to starve opponents. Last November, South Africa couldn’t score a try until the 66th minute, and Australia not until the 69th. England, in the Grand Slam decider, couldn’t get through until the 72nd. In the Six Nations showdown with France, the Tricolors crossed once then were kept off the tryline for the last 63 minutes.
The discipline has also been astounding. At a time when referees have been harsh on high tackles, Ireland has not conceded a yellow or red card all year. Compare that to the last 10 games for France (2 yellow, 1 red), New Zealand (3 yellow, 2 red) and South Africa (6 yellow, 2 red).
And, yet, the Irish have welcomed chaos and hard times. Like a closed roof in Cardiff, all the better to learn how to manage noise that’s almost deafening. They were also happy when France’s Uini Atonio wasn’t sent off for a high tackle — they wanted a fair, full-on game. Against Scotland, hooker Sheehan and his replacement Ronan Kelleher were lost to injuries, plus Doris and Iain Henderson in the first half. The Irish didn’t panic, they were laughing at halftime.
Here’s two more numbers.
7 — quarterfinal appearances at the Rugby World Cup.
0 — semifinal appearances at the Rugby World Cup.
The lessons from the 2019 World Cup failure in Japan, where Ireland also went in ranked No. 1, were not to look past the next match, not to rest up but to work every week on improving skills and team cohesion.
“We’ve been in this position before where we’ve got to the World Cup tipped as favorites and it’s come apart,” Sexton said. “We have to learn the lessons from all those times and put it all together on the big stage. We’ve got some experience now.”
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