Ireland beat the world's No. 5 team on Saturday night in Paris. Photo: AP/Aurélien Morissard
Saint-Denis, or Dublin-sur-Seine as it should surely be renamed for this World Cup, was a place for purists. Here the great masses of people in green could enjoy not just an Irish victory, but a spectacle of sparkling style, verve and precision. Scotland, officially the fifth best team in the world, scored 36 unanswered points before causing late resistance? That hardly says anything about the depth of rugby's global talent pool. Perhaps the only dominance they showed all night was when Pierre Schuman pushed Dan Sheehan through a billboard.
Ireland's imperious class was the clearest evidence of the gulf between the top four nations at this World Cup and the rest. If this were a reasonable tournament, the only logical semi-finalists would be Ireland, New Zealand, France and South Africa. It's a travesty that two of them should be lost so soon, considering how brutally they put anyone outside their quartet to the sword. To enjoy this rich display of Irish skill so soon after England's dismal horror at Lille was to see a team displaying not so much a different style as a different sport.
Two hours before kick-off, tens of thousands of Irish fans flocked to the Stade de France to watch England's match against Samoa on huge screens. What noise did you hear when Owen Farrell left the game before the penalty? Laughter. Pure, unadulterated fun. It was inconceivable that any of them would make such an amateurish mistake. And so it turned out: it took James Lowe a full minute to complete a surprisingly complex and extensive move in the corner.
It quickly turned into a celebration. The idea that Scotland could jeopardize the competition was rejected from the start. From the tireless Bundy Ackie to the visionary Hugo Keenan, Ireland asserted its dominance in every sphere. On the flanks, through the center, they could score from anywhere. Although two late tries restored the Scots to some respectability, Andy Farrell's players had long since put the result beyond doubt, even allowing themselves the luxury of replacing five strikers at once.
Watching the ecstasy of the Irish fans, you wondered if anyone was left on the Emerald Isle. Somehow they turned the 80,000-seat stadium on the northern outskirts of Paris into a larger version of Temple Bar, belting out a post-match medley of “Dirty Old Town”, “No, No, Never” and “Cranberry Zombies” with deafening fervour. . The World Cup Pool stage is often a bloated and predictable affair, but when Ireland are so far away, within one win of a world record-equaling 18th win in a row, it can still be hugely satisfying.
< img src="/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/3d720cde005c78df496f405031291081.jpg" />The Stade de France was filled with greenery. Photo: Getty Images/THOMAS SAMSON
How fitting it would be if this momentous victory came next Saturday against the All Blacks. Frankly, this match deserved to be a final rather than a last-eight confrontation rigged by what Johnny Sexton called an “unfair” draw. But lately Ireland have risen to a level where they don't have to fear anyone. Despite the odd altercations during that game, including one mass brawl, Scotland were not about to deny that they were coached by a much better team. “I thought we'd had enough,” said a shocked Jamie to Ritchie, only to realize their efforts were far from enough.
The Irish were smarter, faster and more insightful. As brilliant as they were in attack, it was their defense that perhaps pleased Farrell even more, with the head coach thumping the table with satisfaction when Caelan Doris made an error after 18 stages of Scottish pressure. Their sky-high skill levels matched their discipline: a combination that could prove decisive in the more onerous exams ahead.
Once upon a time it would have been difficult to imagine that Ireland, who had never progressed beyond the quarter-finals of a World Cup, could have conquered the world stage in this way. But now this is the prevailing order. The Irish have already achieved one monumental result in Paris, humiliating world champions South Africa, and they need at least a couple more if they are to tie their green ribbons to the Webb Ellis Cup on October 28. These 80 minutes revealed the composition of the team. obsessed with final victory.
“Shoulder to shoulder” is not an empty battle cry. Ireland stick to that ethos, never shying away and never slacking off, with every player looking perfectly attuned to what the man outside of them is doing. Farrell managed to achieve a rare alchemy, especially when placed next to England's caustic potion.
The communication with their followers is also palpable. Aki drove them into a frenzy on the touchline with 20 minutes left. Peter O'Mahony, on the occasion of his 100th cap, looked up at the night sky at the final whistle and admired the green tapestry. There is a driving force behind Ireland, an inescapable shared belief that their time has come. Having beaten the All Blacks home and away, they have no fears they can do it again when it matters most. This party seems ready to run and run.
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