The week before the All-Ireland football final is known as a “Yerra-fest” in Kerry.
Despite being the undisputed kings of football in Ireland, every time they find themselves in a September showdown, with the hype starting to build, they take out their biggest hose, and douse the flames of expectancy.
The cute hoors in the Kingdom have perfected the art of playing themselves down, and with back-to back Six Nations Championships behind the Irish rugby team, we could all learn a thing or two from them.
We may be the bones of six months away from the World Cup, but Joe Schmidt’s men have already been given a ringing endorsement from Brian O’Driscoll to make waves at the tournament, and while he doesn’t think New Zealand will be stopped from retaining their title, he reckons they’ll have to beat the Irish to do so.
Speaking to Bloomberg, O’Driscoll predicted an Ireland All-Blacks final at Twickenham, but added that the champions will be more than wary after seeing what the northern hemisphere sides are capable of on the final day of the Six Nations.
“I’m going to go with New Zealand because they got the monkey off the back from winning in 2011, maybe them to beat Ireland in final,” he said.
“Probably up to the final day wouldn’t have been quaking in their boots. But then that final day definitely would have made them sit up and pay attention to what these teams can do,” he added.
From now on, the part line is a roll of the eyes and a word or two about how us simple folk from a little island are just glad to be there.
Hat-tip Bloomberg
