Why not us?
That was the question posed by Conan Doherty on Sunday as he looked back on eight days where Ireland had defeated the All Blacks in rugby, rocked Austria in football, ran in another eight tries against Canada and celebrated as Conor McGregor claimed his second UFC belt.
No longer would we fear the opponents others deem bigger, badder and better. He wrote:
‘What this week of all weeks has taught us; what Conor Murray, Conor McGregor and James McClean have taught us is that there is no longer any one reason to say that it cannot be done. Not anymore there’s not.’
“We have a problem, a pandemic, with the word no. That's what makes us. That's what makes the Irish” – @ConanDoherty https://t.co/eo2FOiodRp
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 13, 2016
And then Steve Hansen opens his mouth and labels his world champion New Zealand team as underdogs against Ireland this weekend.
The same New Zealand side that won 18 Tests on the trot before they fell to us in Chicago. The same nation that has not lost a World Cup match since 2007. The same side that contains surnames like Franks, Retallick, Whitelock, Cane, Read, Smith [Aaron], Savea and Smith [Ben].
Is he crazy? Is he messing with our f***ing heads?
“We know the challenge we face from Ireland will again be massive and we are going into the game as the underdogs,” Hansen said this morning.
“They’ll be full of confidence and committed to delivering on their home patch.”
The All Blacks managed to make five changes to the side that lost 40-29 to Ireland in Chicago.
Every single change improves them.
It’s enough to make you fearful. It’s enough to make you incredulous.
And then you look back. You don’t have to look far. Eight days where our sports-stars exceeded expectations and listened to no-one but themselves. They could do this… “I can do this.”
A lot of people seemed to have forgotten that the bulk of this Irish rugby side had been there for two Six Nations wins, that they had turned over South Africa and Australia in Dublin, that they had beaten the Springboks in Cape Town despite being down to 14 men for an hour.
Ireland were missing some big names in Chicago too – Iain Henderson, Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Mahony and Keith Earls. All of them are fully fit but struggling to get into a side that shredded the All Blacks at Soldier Field.
They did not win in Chicago by shrinking into themselves, tucking the ball under their arm and winding down the clock. They took the fight to the best team in world rugby and won with 11 points to spare.
And now we’re at home against them. The hinges will be popping down on Lansdowne Road this Saturday evening.
Look at some of our main men – McGrath, Best, Toner, Stander, Heaslip, Murray, Sexton, Henshaw, Payne, Kearney – and tell me we’ve not got a damned good chance.
Not many would stick the favourites tag on this Ireland team but would it really be such an issue if they did.
The players themselves will bat Hansen’s claim away. To themselves, though, why not favourites?
Why not?
Aaron Kernan joins Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour to explain the work he’s doing for the Club Players Association. Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue talks Slaughtneil and a Dublin club advertising for hurlers gets a sore touch. Subscribe here on iTunes.
