Accusations of taking our sport too seriously have been thrown at us. It’s like Carrauntoohil, our very own Mount Rushmore. Johnny Sexton or Andy Farrell’s face would spark a heated debate.
This marks the eighth time an Irish team has reached the quarter-finals of the rugby World Cup.
In the past, hope was in our grasp, but ultimately slipped away. However, we have every reason to believe that self-doubt has been banished. This is not some spell or enchantment, but the result of consistent performance.
When we claimed the top spot in the rankings, the skeptics asked, “Really?” Dismissing the power of statistics with their scornful tone.
But the scoreboard tells the tale of what the players deliver on the field.
So no matter the outcome at Stade de France tonight, this Irish team has already provided more excitement than Big Thunder Mountain – or Le Train de la Mine, as it’s known to the locals at Disneyland Paris.
The skill-set of this Irish squad, along with their coaching and support staff, has elevated them to new heights of success.
Much of their prowess comes from competing against the world’s best teams, like the All Blacks whom we face tonight.
The silver fern-clad warriors have been the team to beat for over a century – it took us 111 years to defeat them.
Irish players openly acknowledge Joe Schmidt, the Kiwi, for teaching them how to win. However, it is Andy Farrell who has refined their winning formula.
The connection between New Zealand rugby and Ireland runs deep. Dave Gallaher, born in Donegal, captained ‘The Originals’ – the All Black team that toured Britain and Ireland in 1905.
Tonight, we face Beauden, Jordie, and Scott Barrett, the first trio of brothers to represent New Zealand. They resided in Ballinacree, north Co Meath, when their father, Kevin, came to work here in 1999.
Today, we have the opportunity to write our own chapter in history. While winning may not be everything, the effort to do so is. This team has never fallen short in that regard, and neither have our passionate fans, who’ve become the talk of the tournament.
Rumors suggest that the parish priest of Notre Dame will postpone Sunday morning’s 10 o’clock mass so Irish fans can catch it on their way to bed after a night of celebration.
So don’t you dare say we don’t stand a chance.
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