RWC23 Warmups - Ireland v Italy, Sat 5th Aug, KO 8PM - TV: RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, Amazon Prime Video

Crowley should be the understudy.

Totally delusional to say "we will win the world cup" at best we have joined a group of NZ, France and South Africa who look capable not to mention England on the right side of the draw who despite current form have a squad of good players or Oz who can always raise their game.

I'd happily take a semi and cross my fingers 🤞

Competitions are won at competition time not in advance.

England have no chance of winning the world cup.

If we're genuine WC contenders, we'll beat them by at least 20 points in two weeks. NZ, France and SA 100% would. They are absolutely gash.

I think if we get passed the quarters then we make the final. The other side of the draw is just looking so poor that we can expect to beat any of them in a semi final.

We're number 1 in the world and not by fluke. We clearly are the best team. No need to play the underdog, let's own this. We're going to win it.

Not if sextons injured apparently

Nonsense. We've beaten New Zealand twice in New Zealand just last year. We're far better than them. France would be a worry at home but we beat them by 13 points just a few months ago. We're going to win the World Cup. It's time to believe, the players do.

New Zealand have choked at World cups in the past. We have too. It's possible that we choke again but I think this is different. Beating New Zealand twice away just so recently gives us the belief to do it!

Will be 16 months between beating NZ and any world cup quarter final. Its long enough ago now to be almost irrelevant now. 8 months since beating France. Both those teams beat us in 2022 too.

So, we have a good chance but I don't think we are clearly better than either of them. I can only see the winner coming from those 3 though.

Nz will want south africa in quarters, they have their number. They will be more worried about playing us.

I don't know if I want nz or France, all the one really. Possibly slight preference to play new zealand in quarters. Beat France in the final !

If the draw wasn't so lopsided I'd agree that anything beyond the semis would be a bonus but it'd be a far bigger choke to lose a SF to Wal/Eng/Aus/Arg than to lose the QF. World #1 that got out of the group of death and beat either France or NZ against a team ranked as high as 6th or as low as 10th, we'd be odds on favourites.

Alright, don't think Byrne will ever be in the running for World player of the year but it's all about opinions.

Oh yeah!

I'm not sure what you're basing your New Zealand comment on? They barely beat a poor Australian team a few days ago. The Southern Hemisphere teams are as weak as they ever have been going into a World Cup. This added with us being the best team in the World over the past year puts us as favourites in my book. Winning the World Cup is realistic!

"Bestest" team in the world excuse you.