After all the things I’ve said about the Irish team heading into the world cup, I sat down and watched the rugby programme on TV3 tonight and the blood began to stir. Now, rabble rousing it may be and with the hurling coming up at the weekend maybe the blood was stirring anyway, but all of a sudden I got the butterflies in the stomach and the “what-if’s” began.
What if we do actually perform as we should against Argentina and win by twenty points? What if we handle France until AFTER the last minute this time around?
New Zealand and Scotland will come out of Group C in that order and Group A has South Africa First with England Second. Group B has Australia First with Wales second.
We get Scotland in the 1/4 final and win. South Africa beat Wales By five points. New Zealand beat France by ten. Australia hammer England….
What if we still manage to scrape through to there with a full squad? What if when we meet South Africa in the Semi-Final, we do to them what we did in October?
New Zealand meet Australia in the other semi-final and win.
What if we end up in a final against New Zealand? What if France handle them at the 1/4 final stage, who knows?
What if the All-Blacks choke and Australia beat them? New Zealand have been hot favourites so many times that it’s sickening for them at this stage, the pressure on them will be enormous. There will be questions asked in parliament again.
Can you imagine a RWC final between Ireland and New Zealand, France or Australia?
It’s possible, Can you imagine it?
Absolutely anything can happen in this beautiful game of ours. Absolutely anything. Who would have predicted Italy Vs. Ireland a week ago? Who would have predicted the English the last RWC or what we did to them in Croker?
What if we win the group?
WHAT IF??