Rugby World Cup Profile - Ireland
Ireland’s national Rugby Union team, also known as the Men in Green, is placed in Pool C of the 2011 edition of the Rugby World Cup (RWC). Besides Ireland, other squads in Pool C of the RWC are the Wallabies, Italy, Russia and USA Eagles.
Like other Irish sports, Men in Green are known globally through their Shamrock’s symbol.
Ireland is currently placed in sixth position in the International Rugby Board’s (IRB) World Rankings. They qualified for the 2011 RWC courtesy of being in the top 12 Rugby playing nations in the world.
Ireland has participated in all RWCs and the 2011 RWC will be their seventh consecutive RWC appearance. Ireland is probably the only established test-playing nation, which has failed to reach the semi-finals of the Rugby Union’s premier world tournament. Additionally,
during the 1999 and 2007 RWC, they even failed to progress to the second rounds of the tournament.
Ireland regularly participates in the Six Nations tournament. This year they finished third on the table with their six points, coming from their five games of the tournament. They were able to win their matches against the Italy (13 – 11), Scotland (21
– 18) and against England (24 – 8). They narrowly missed out against France, while Wales managed to defeat them by a margin of six points.
Ireland’s 24 – 8 win against the England will provide them lots of hope particularly as England is considered as one of the favourites to win 2011 RWC.
Scotland has defeated them 10 – 6 in their 2011 Rugby World Cup warm up encounter. They will play their second pre-World Cup against the France on Saturday, August 13.
The 32-year-old Brian O'Driscoll is their most notable player and is considered as one of the best centres in the game. O’Driscoll is also the captain of the Ireland side and the 2011 RWC will probably his last tour of New Zealand. He was simply magnificent
in Ireland’s Six Nations win over England earlier this year and each time O’Driscoll performs, Ireland are certain to win.
Following O’Driscoll is Leinster’s utility forward Jamie Heaslip. His strong ball carrying, explosive ball handling and speed skills have earned both his club and country a great amount of success. He played a pivotal role in the Leinster’s 2010/11 Heineken
Cup campaign, and helped them lift the 2010 Cup.
O’Driscoll will be playing his fourth consecutive RWC and holds the record for Ireland for most appearances in the RWC matches for Ireland. He so far has played 13 RWC matches for Ireland. Furthermore, he also holds the record for most RWC tries. He has
scored six successful tries of Ireland in the RWC matches.
David Humphreys with his 70 points coming from the 7 RWC matches is Ireland’s highest point scorer in the competition. His 70 points consists of a drop goal, 11 conversions, and 15 penalties.
The Ireland’s 43-man provisional RWC squad announced by their head coach, Declan Kidney includes,
Forwards: Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Tony Buckley (Sale Sharks), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster),
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht), Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster),
Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster), Michael Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Damien Varley (Garryown/Munster),
David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht)
Backs: Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht), Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster), Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster), Robert
Kearney (UCD/Leinster), Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Conor Murray (Cork Constitution/Munster), Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Tomás O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster), Eoin Reddan
(Lansdowne/Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster), Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
Irrespective of their recent success over the England at home, Ireland faces a daunting task to reach to the semi-finals of the tournament. They are favourites to win their matches against the USA Eagles and Russia. However, they have the slightest of chances
to defeat the Wallabies, but they can defeat the Azzurri’s provided they play to their potential best.
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