Drive on Ireland!

IRELAND’s 32-county rugby team have an opportunity tomorrow to go where none of their predecessors have gone — if they can beat their old sparring partners Argentina in Cardiff they will secure a World Cup semi-final place.

Last week, against France, the atmosphere in Cardiff was by any stretch of the imagination spectacular but as the stakes are far higher tomorrow then the afternoon might be even more exiting — it will certainly be more nail-biting, as a defeat would end our interest in the competition.

Ireland have lost their great leader of recent times — Paul O’Connell — and Seán O’Brien and Peter O’Mahony too but there is a belief that these setbacks can be overcome and that we can, however narrowly, prevail over Argentina.

This is professional international sport at its very highest, most unforgiving level, and it is a considerable achievement that a relatively small country, one with so many other sporting attractions, can compete at this level. How wonderful, how very uplifting if come Monday morning Ireland were still in the chase. Drive on Ireland!