Competing against Scotland (36-14), the best team in the world enjoyed a gala quarter-final against New Zealand. Between caution and ambition, Ireland is impatiently awaiting this final before its time.
In Saint-Denis,
Will the Stade de France still be green with happiness next Saturday evening against the Blacks? It’s a certainty, there will still be at least 60,000 pushing the greens to finally break the glass ceiling, while dreaming of singing the Cranberries’ “Zombie”, their anthem, after having made the New Zealanders bite the dust . Ireland have never progressed past the quarter-finals in a World Cup. The current best team in the world has the means to reverse the direction of history against a team they have beaten five times in their last eight face-to-face meetings. “No match is worth next week’s. There’s nothing more complicated than playing Black, assures coach Andy Farrell. But they too will have to be at their best to beat us. They will definitely be looking forward to playing this match. Neither I nor the team think we have shown what we can do best. It’s matches like next week’s that will really allow us to reveal who we really are. »
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For captain Jonathan Sexton, Ireland, with 17 consecutive victories, current series, will not have any complexes: “ Let’s say that playing New Zealand taught us a lot, especially in view of the Six Nations Tournament, that’s what allowed us to make the Grand Slam.». «We are used to tough matches, continues third row Jack Conan. We wanted to finish at the top of the group and have our destiny in our hands. It’s done. It will be a great challenge. It will be a great moment for the whole country. In Ireland or here, hundreds of thousands of people will be behind us. This will be one of the biggest matches of our career, if not the biggest.»
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All the indicators are green for the Clover team before this Majuscule shock. “ A World Cup is won in defensee,” warns Andy Farrell. And in terms of defense, the Irish wall, like against South Africa (13-8), was impassable for a long time on Saturday during a one-sided victory against Scotland and six tries to boot (36-14). . “ It’s crazy to have defended so well at the start of the match, welcomed the Irish coach. It’s difficult to hold on, especially as Scotland were well into it. It put them in a difficult situation because when you attack so much and you don’t score, it’s difficult to digest. We had a first half that was both imperfect and perfect, since we absorbed the pressure and finally countered them at the right time.. » Like the third line, the fighter Josh van der Flier and his 21 successful tackles or the third line center Caelan Doris (22). A defense of iron, an attack of fire. The three-quarter center Garry Ringrose, at the origin of the first two tries for the greens and himself author of a sublime try, following a surgical foot pass from Jack Crowley, created panic in the defense of the XV of the thistle. “ If they are number 1 in the world, it is not by chance. As soon as they enter your 22, they put points », Underlined Scottish coach Gregor Townsend. Thistle XV center Sione Tuipulotu summed up: “ Ireland is strong in all positions: from the first line to the three-quarters, including the third line, it is a very balanced team. They make things very difficult for their opponents, especially with their defense. »
Enough to give the All Blacks a cold sweat. Especially since in conquest the Irish showed progress. In difficulty during the victory against South Africa, the lineout was one of the Irish strong points on Saturday, thanks in particular to the return of hooker Dan Sheehan. For Scottish technician Gregor Townsend “ This Irish team is the best in the last ten years. » Enough to bring down the triple world champions and break the green ceiling?
