Ireland need World Cup quarter-final win to save stuttering season

That may sound obvious. The World Cup is the be all and end all in any given year, but such is the stuttering nature of the team’s fortunes that they won’t be able to lean on much in terms of consolation from earlier efforts if they depart the tournament at this stage

Ireland's Ruth Campbell reacts after conceding a try during the Pool D match against New Zealand. Pic: Ben Whitley/PA

Ireland’s season started just shy of six months ago against France. The hope as they meet their continental cousins again this weekend, this time in a World Cup quarter-final in Exeter, is that their season doesn’t end against the same opposition.

Avoiding such symmetry will be a tall order against a side they haven’t beaten since 2017, but the winning or losing of this game will determine whether the entire calendar year is seen as a success or a failure for a side that still has a long road to go under Scott Bemand.