Ireland are being taken more seriously than ever before by the heavyweights of world rugby ahead of next month’s World Cup in England, but just because we’ve never advanced beyond the quarter-finals, that doesn’t mean we haven’t had moments to cherish
Here’s SportsJOE’s top ten Irish World Cup memories, when the men in green made the nation’s hearts beat that little bit faster…
10. Denis McBride wriggles through the Welsh defence
Having both already lost to the All Blacks, Ireland’s final pool match in 1995 against Wales would decide which side joined New Zealand in the knockout stages. McBride’s try was the highlight, as the openside emerged from a seemingly impossible thicket of Welsh bodies to score.
9. Brian Robinson sets a World Cup record
The Belfast number eight made made hay against the minnows from Zimbabwe in 1991, becoming the first player to score four tries in a World Cup match as Ireland won 55-11 at Lansdowne Road.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t find a clip of Robinson’s performance, so instead enjoy flying winger Simon Geoghegan’s try from the same game.
8. Brian O’Driscoll’s try-saving tackle thwarts Tony Marsh
There wasn’t a great deal to cheer for Ireland in the 2003 quarter-final against France, but O’Driscoll did his best all the same by scoring two late tries in the 43-21 defeat. His most notable intervention came with the game still in the balance, however, as he chased down Tony Marsh when his opposite number seemed certain to score, executing a perfect tackle and then winning turnover ball at the breakdown.
7. Keith Wood scores four tries against the USA
Robinson did it first, but he and Keith Wood remain the only forwards to touch down four times in a game at the World Cup. Woodie’s quartet came against the USA in 1999, and he saved the best of his haul for last. Having plunged over the line from close range three times, the hooker drifted out to the wing and ended up on the end of delicate chip through.
6. Brian O’Driscoll gives the Wallabies everything they can handle
Another Drico highlight from 2003, this time in a pool match against Australia, as the Leinster man almost single-handedly delivered a momentous victory over the Wallabies. O’Driscoll twice dragged Ireland within a point in the closing stages, first through a trademark finish in the corner and then with a snap drop goal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPOqXJbkPVs
5. Ireland claim their revenge over Argentina
After their humiliating exit at the hands of the Pumas in Lens in 1999, Ireland were determined not to fall to the same foes four years later in Adelaide. Alan Quinlan scored the only try of the game that featured a truly wonderful dummy from Keith Wood, but the moment was bittersweet for the Munster man, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in the act of scoring that would end his tournament.
4. Stephen Ferris takes Will Genia for a ride
The moment that epitomised Ireland’s attitude on the night of their greatest World Cup performance to date. Australia were physically dominated by a ferocious Irish pack, and when Ulster’s titan Ferris lifted Wallaby scrum-half Genia and carried him towards his own line he may as well have lifted a nation sitting at home over their liquid breakfasts.
3. Gordon Hamilton causes delirium at Lansdowne Road
Yet another meeting with the Wallabies and yet another classic World Cup clash. Trailing by three points with just over five minutes remaining, full-back Jim Staples’ chip ahead is gathered by Jack Clarke, who looked inside and popped the ball up to the Ulsterman. The beauty of the score is in the way Hamilton, much like Carlos Alberto as he scored that famous 1970 World Cup final goal, storms into the picture to collect the ball and thunder his way to the corner.
2. Gary Halpin gives the All Blacks the bird
Ireland were the first to face the bulldozer that was Jonah Lomu at the 1995 World Cup, and the bruising winger announced himself on the world stage with a brace of tries in a 43-19 victory, but it was Gary Halpin who struck the first blow for an overmatched Irish side determined to give it a damned good go, an attitude illustrated in his famous two-fingered salute to the Kiwi forwards he had just bowled over.
1. Well, we can dream, can’t we?
