Rugby World Cup: Ireland go from ‘Zombie’ to the ghost of tournaments past
Four Six Nations titles, two Grand Slams, four Champions Cups, six domestic titles and two British and Irish Lions tours; Johnny Sexton is arguably one of the greatest rugby players to grace the professional era and not adjourn from the sport with a Rugby World Cup winner’s medal.
But it was on the cards. Heading into Ireland’s 24-28 quarter-final loss to New Zealand in Paris on Saturday they’d won zero of their seven previous Rugby World Cup knockout matches, and hadn’t led in one since Thierry Lacroix drew France level in the first half of their last-eight match in 1995.
It felt, however, that this World Cup was Ireland’s to lose. It was a last hurrah for Sexton and winger Keith Earls, and they were playing one of the weakest All Black sides – by their standards – to have featured in a World Cup across the last two decades.
But as the autumnal night fell upon the Parisian suburbs there was no tectonic plate-shifting rendition of The Cranberries’ hit Zombie, nor was there the roar of Irish fans. Instead the sun set on Sexton and the Emerald Isle as their record became eight knockout losses in eight attempts.
Not once did they lead, not once did they take command, not once did they truly look like winning. And in the survival of 37 waves of Irish onslaught, New Zealand held firm and proved exactly what the three-time winners are all about.
Sure, they didn’t come into the tournament as favourites, or second favourites, or third for that matter, but they proved their mantra of being in the game for long enough to cause despair to their opposition – something they achieved with interest on Saturday.
So we wave Sexton goodbye. Goodbye to a career that’s had everything but this. Everything but global glory.
“You’re still the best dad,” his son was pictured saying after the match. Enough to evoke the emotions in the coldest of hearts; Sexton will at least now be able to be the presence away from the sport that professional rugby can deny you.
That will be the thinnest of silver linings for a player who deserved, much like Irish greats Ronan O’Gara and Brian O’Driscoll, more than they actually achieved. But that’s top flight oval ball in its brutal reality.
Ireland and Sexton follow Wales and Biggar off World Cup stage
The All Blacks were ruthless, played the game in front of them and absorbed and exuded pressure at the perfect times. Their reward? A winnable semi-final against Argentina.
When the Pumas are discussed at a World Cup, it is usually in awe or in disbelief – they have the ability to shock or fall in the most unpredictable manner – but in the early kick-off on Saturday they beat Wales 29-17 to reach their first semi-final since 2015.
In an atmosphere of clashing cultures, where the Stade Velodrome in Marseille seemingly became the location of the international choir championship finals, Argentina took their points and played knockout rugby, something the Welsh struggled to fathom until it was too late.
It meant another great No10 of the northern hemisphere, Dan Biggar, would bow out of international rugby on a World Cup loss.
Hobbling off before full time, the Toulon fly-half was defeated by his South American opposition, a victim of togetherness and determination on the pitch over flawless and sensational rugby.
Wales were well beaten in the south of France despite going 10-0 up in the first half. They, though, forgot the golden rule of knockout rugby; it is not about the style in which you win, it is simply the victory that matters.
And the result leads to a simple fact: Argentina will make their first Rugby World Cup final or New Zelaand will make their fifth – in which the All Blacks could win their fourth title.
But it is in defeat where the story ends for Biggar and Sexton. It’s the surprise of Ireland falling at the same hurdle as before that’ll hurt the most.
And in the month in which we celebrate Halloween, it’s the Irish who have been the victim of the most brutal of trick or treat pranks: their Rugby World Cup had become so synonymous with Zombie only for it to end with the ghost of tournaments past.
But there’s always 2027, right?