Why were Australia & Ireland so awful at the 2007 World Cup?

Question

Now a few months have passed, are there rational explanations for the poor performances, particularly Ireland?

Rankings are now 5 and 7 respectively - not impressive is it given form earlier in year.

Answer 1

Ireland were awful because the team was split up between the Munster pack and Leinster backs so that what team chemistry was there went and O'Gara was acting the dope over in France! Australia the occasion just got to team and they messed up against England!

Answer 2

Australia were poorly coached and it showed.  Knuckles Connolly was thinking that he had John Eales, Matt Cockbain, David Wilson etc still playing.  We didn't have quality forwards.  They were outmuscled, slow to breakdowns, terrible in line outs and basically bashed all over the field.

Testimony to that was the quarter finals.  Matt Giteau made a break and got caught.  Adam Ashley Cooper supported him.  At the breakdown, there were 4 England forwards and 1 Aussie back.  Too easy for a turnover.

Knuckles is now finished up.  I hope we get Robbie Deans to coach the Wallabies.  Also they should appoint Owen Finnegan to coach the forwards.  Get some mongrel back into them.

Answer 3

Ireland were ranked 3rd before the world cup.Now we're 7th.Teams don't get that bad overnight!So here's what happened.

Brian O'Driscoll(center) and Peter Stringer (scrum-half) had a huge fight before the RWC.Brian told O'Sullivan-our coach-that he wouldn't play during the world cup if Stringer was playing. Seeing as BOD is one of the best players, O'Sullivan chose him and Stringer didn't play at all. BOD plays for Leinster and Stringer plays for Munster. Most of the Irish team play for either one of these teams so the team was divided after the fight and didn't co-operate with each other.TRUE STORY!!!

Also, Ronan O'Gara (fly-half) was having trouble with his finances at the time and so the media didn't help either!!!

It's not the players fault though.Since the players have returned to their provencial teams they've been playing great!Munster are currently on top of their group in the Heineken Cup and Leinster a leading in the Magners league.The bad world cup performances have been forgotten and all the players have settled their disputes.

It just wasn't meant to be!!!!!!!

Answer 4

they just weren't on form

Answer 5

Australia were not used to the different time zone which they were playing in. The aweful weather obviously didnt help much. They were badly coached and not motivated but obviously overly stressed to win another Winners medal.

Ireland already lost even before they had played as their team were split and disunited. Being the 3rd seeded team in the world doesnt mean that they will be placed 3rd in the final standings.

Answer 6

Firstly Ireland, they were splitted up like other people said and Ronan O'Gara was in trouble of gambling and it just didn't go their way. Another thing is that Eddie O'Sullivan was contracted to coach Ireland till 2011 RWC so he had no worries about being sacked even if he didn't do well in the world cup. For Aussies... their foward pack was demolished by English and backline just couldn't break through English foward pack. George Gregan was one of the best in that Q/F against England, but giving it to backs didn't quite work and most importantly, Stirling Mortlock's dreadful kicking was the main reason Aussies came home after Q/F. All Blacks were awful as well but that is another story.

Answer 7

Most of the time rugby is all about making money and generating hype and more and more Setanta & Sky sports advertising revenue....only every four years (when the NH/SH seasons are in sync(ish) does it become at all serious and we get truer picture of how things really are.

The rest of the time it is hype hype hype hype...this is why Rugby also needs to dump the lions tours...and go for  a world championships every two years...plus a synchronised world season...so we all get the  reality checks more often..