Rugby World Cup - End of the road for Ireland

Ireland went into the Rugby World Cup with high hopes of at least qualifying for the semi-finals, following a strong showing in the Five Nations Championship earlier in the year, but it all ground to a disappointing end yesterday in Paris.

Before the game even started it was obvious the Irish team had a mountain to claim in order to qualify, as it was faced with an almost impossible task.

It was not going to be enough to beat Argentina; it was necessary to win by eight points and score four tries in the process against a team that had not conceded a try in its three previous games.

Moreover Argentina defeated France, which demolished the Irish team.

Argentina won yesterday’s game by double scores and also won the group, demonstrating that the so-called minnows must be taken seriously in rugby. Indeed, Ireland could be considered lucky to have beaten Georgia.

Irish supporters are unlikely to remember the team’s performance with any fondness, but there was a grim reminder last week that put the whole thing into perspective, when Simon Best was rushed to hospital. We should remember — as one Cork man poignantly remarked on another sporting occasion on which great national expectations were shattered — nobody died.