World cup 2027. Were do Ireland go?

4 years is a long time in sport. Probably someone at the next WC nobody is even thinking about now. Didn't France have a 20 year old on the wing last night for example.

We need Aki for our 6N opener in the SdF but somebody else should be getting a run out the following week against Italy. Rebuilding starts then.

yep injured alot over the last while unfortunately

stop making perfect and rational sense, this thread is clearly for hyperbolic nonsense and nothing else

i would disagree that ireland were at 90% though, i do think they were at about 70% compared to recent results - which goes to show just how high the standards are now since they still played relatively well

Why did the reserve 10 need a couple of years experience to be brought on for the final few minutes? This is the heart of the issue for me, Sexton was out on his feet and needed to be replaced by someone, anyone. It's not like we needed him on for a pressure kick to win, we needed to engineer a try and that wasn't going to happen with a static JS shovelling the ball on. We should have rolled the dice with Crowley, it may not have worked but it was worth a shot.

The thread title is "Were do Ireland go". The literal answer is the next 6N and the theoretical answer is suggesting changes which could be made in our approach. The only way to build squad depth is to give more lads gametime, the fixtures in the next 6N mean it is perfect for that.

Beating France in Paris next February is a huge ask (and likely a bridge too far no matter what players we play) but after that, we have four games we should be winning, even with a few players who weren't involved last Saturday. That doesn't mean dumping half the squad but there are clear issues which need to be addressed and the sooner we start, the better.

We need a new 10 anyway and we should be actively looking for our next starting 9 (i.e. Casey starts some games, he might not be the answer long-term but JGP certainly isn't either). Furlong isn't right, I think he'd benefit from a break and our depth at TH would also benefit from it. Back row also needs refreshing, POM has given all he can. We aren't getting the best from Doris right now, he needs to play his way back into the starting jersey rather than be handed it regardless. Conan is better than most no.8s we'll face in the 6N and hopefully Doris will work on a few things and rediscover some form.

Sexton has been in the top 5 10's at the world cup and on Saturday was still orchestrating play and hitting rucks right until the end.

Would Crowley have presented a bit more pace, yes, but could have have kept the team going forward for 38 phases at the end, not so sure, yet.

I remember being rounded on here for saying how knackered we looked in the last 20 minutes of the Scotland game despite the changes and allowing for the fact the game was over. We looked done. No one wanted to hear about it because of the result but the warning signs were there for me.

When you look at the final 38 phase possession against NZ we were clearly gone. No one could see us scoring. Certainly I couldn't.

We might have benefitted from a lot more rotation in some of the group games. I don't think our game management was good in hindsight.

Then there is the stupid unforced errors and our lineout only really working against Scotland and that's down to coaching at the end of the day.

The errors more than tiredness cost us but tiredness also told in the very end.

Nobody is saying to sacrifice a couple of 6Ns. Next year we will beat Scotland, Wales and Italy in Dublin even with changes made in 4 or 5 positions. There's a good chance we'd beat England too but it being in Twickenham makes it a more even contest. In plenty of positions, our second choice is better than their first choice player, our guy just needs experience. We can bring in new guys and still have the bulk of the team who were world no.1 around them.

JS is gone regardless. POM may be available but there is nothing to be gained by flogging him further. Furlong who were once undroppable is no longer so and there is nothing to be lost from looking beyond him (I think a good rest to get himself right followed by regular gametime with Leinster rather than always being thrown cold into international games would be the best thing for him). JGP is too hit and miss and will be too old at the next WC. Changes have to be made, there's no escaping that fact.

Im still flat after weekend - God knows how the players are , whilst I think Sexton should have been taken off for the last 15 for Crowley , I dont think we were ever going to score with that last phase, as a collective they were gassed.

Barrett stopping Kelleher was the moment for me .

Our back row was below par and got outplayed by ther opposites that to me was the main resson , all 3 have been great sevants of Irish rugby, but none were at ther best on Saturday

What do you expect? That every single player we have is the best in the world in thier position.

That someone at 38 is in the top 5 in their position in the world is brilliant. And really who is better. Mo'unga, certainly. Pollard, from the foot yes, but not with ball in hand or game management. Jalibert - attacking wise yes, but he is a bit flaky. Flaky Finn - hell no, Farrell - purely off the tee, Biggar - that ship sailed years ago, Carreras - nope. So to be at the very top of the game at 38 is a hell of an achievement.

Of course vdf and Doris were poor as they are the ones carrying, trying to poach and do the work of 3 as I think pom gets great work and credit in line out work but other than that we need more, a blindside flanker should be making hard yards and dominant tackles etc but Pete is too light for that I think, maybe beirne to 6 or baird eventually