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    Ireland’s brave Rugby World Cup show may not be enough to stave off budget slash

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    By Derek Foley

    Copyright irishmirror

    Ireland's brave Rugby World Cup show may not be enough to stave off budget slash

    Ireland finished fifth at the 2025 Rugby World Cup on the back of two-bonus-point wins, 10 pool points, and a single score defeat to France in the quarter-finals.A Fiona Coghlan-captained group finished fourth in 2014 but this fifth-place represents next best from Ireland’s total of seven appearances, ahead of finishing seventh on four different occasions.That the four-game campaign varied so much, going from okay-ish, to poor to bad and then to brilliant-effort won’t help those writing the report for the IRFU.Let’s just assume if the accountants are writing a critique using the IRFU’s yearly €8m women’s programme as the frame of reference, they are in trouble…If the engineers (i.e. creative-types such as coaches) are writing the report there are plenty of plusses involved, not least when it came to fifth, support for the effort, eyeballs on TV and the relatively young squad profile.Skipper Sam Monaghan’s high-wire act as star second-row and ambassador to the outside world in the midst of picking up a debilitating injury that forced her off with 20 minutes to go in the quarter-final was remarkable.

    But, problem, she is about to disappear from view as she plays her rugby at the highest level worldwide, England’s PWR (with champions and international star-packed Gloucester-Hartpury).The dowdy IRFU would be better served with the charismatic Monaghan based here, doing the Late, Late, the Afternoon Show, Children’s TV, visiting schools, going to Premieres, visible – engaged in a full-time charm offensive for her sport.Elsewhere the plaudits came for the technicians in the front-row who put in a mighty first-hour performance against France and who were backed up by their replacements.Don’t be surprised to see Linda Djougang or Niamh O’Dowd on the Team of the 2025 Tournament while Neve Jones remains a particularly doughty defender.Elsewhere a special for the all-action Aoife Dalton in the centre who is still only 22 years-of-age, who never stopped trying through the tournament and has found a way to combine her natural Sevens speed with the physicality of a 28 year-old back-row.A disrupted RWC back-row had traveled without Dorothy Wall and Erin King, with Aoife Wafer only making the last game – and for which she seemed only 75 percent fit if the close is anything to go by – but nonetheless did well.Certainly Brittany Hogan, Grace Moore and Fiona Tuite had their moments but there were periods when the dynamics weren’t fully-stoked.The half-backs continue to be a problem area; Dannah O’Brien played too much and it seems ridiculous to have brought Nicole Fowley – and her trademark intelligent kicking game – and not even placed her on the bench once.O’Brien is still learning and didn’t need quite so much pressure while it was noticeable that, tiring in the last game, her defensive concentration dropped off.The scrum-half situation remains infuriating; Scott Bemand chose three no9s, none of whom box-kick.Not only is this an essential pressure-relieving tactic, it would greatly come to the aid of the under-pressure O’Brien while Amee-Leigh Costigan and Beibhinn Parsons’ pace and physicality make them chasers-from-heaven.Dalton and Eve Higgins are a good midfield pairing and it made sense to let them see the quarter-final out. However what did not make sense was having three backs on the bench and not using any of them.Right now, this has to be pitted against the other obstacles in the race to move forward with the group/sport.World Rugby rankings show the top four sides, professional, are a long way ahead of the rest of the field. In Formula 1 terms they would be lapping the rest by half-way.Ireland will claim to be on the bridge to gap on the basis of finishing fifth.But 13-0 up, completely scrum-dominant gaining penalty after penalty, in muggy low-scoring conditions, against a France side that shipped three yellow cards (18′, 40′ & 79′ mins), they failed to prosecute.The Ireland Sevens side is seen as having a shot at an Olympics medal and it was interesting to note the men’s equivalent programme was scrapped.And given so many of Ireland XVs players are playing in England (Monaghan, Jones, Perry and, now, Wafer at champions Gloucester with McMahon, Moloney-MacDonald, McGillivray, Wall at Exeter, Lyons, Caplice, Bourke at ‘Quins, Irwin, Delany at Sale, Ikahihifo and Moore at Trailfinders) it is possible to have a core group in England being paid by PWR clubs.The Ireland XVs contracts for those based in Ireland could be reduced drastically without Ireland being in any danger of falling out of the top eight in the world rankings – that is to stay among the World cup quarter-finalists.Which means a ground that managed to get from nought-to-sixty following failure to qualify for RWC 2019 and put up a big fightback following the tepid opening showings at RWC 2021 to run France so close…Has an even bigger fight coming down the line in rugby’s high, holy committee room, existential in essence.Are the IRFU willing to keep funding for a side watching while England, New Zealand, Canada and France are disappearing over the top of the hill.

    Did I mention those four want to form a breakaway international, yearly, championship?

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