Donal Lenihan: Not hosting World Cup could prove a blessing in disguise for Ireland

I think we would have done a marvelous job in hosting the event, showcasing the best aspects the country has to offer on a world stage

HOLD ONTO YOUR HATS: Keith Earls during an Ireland rugby squad training session at Complexe de la Chambrerie in Tours, France. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

After four years of meticulous planning for the key protagonists, we’re left with just two days to go before two of the main pretenders for ultimate glory set the standard for the rest to follow as France launch the 2023 Rugby World Cup against three-time winners New Zealand on Friday night.

If the Irish players were in any doubt as to the magnitude of this World Cup in France, last Saturday’s open training session at the Stade de la Vallee du Cher in their host city of Tours, which attracted a bumper crowd of 12,000 people, offered a timely reminder of what lies ahead. Public scrutiny on the number one-ranked team in the tournament has already started.