Despite their quarter final exit from RWC 2003 Ireland can hold their heads high says Team Media Liaison Officer John Redmond.
“The campaign overall has been consigned as a great success bearing in mind we had to pre-qualify for the Tournament,” Redmond explained before heading home last night.
“We started off pre-qualifying in Siberia in September 2002, so that was a long way from home to get to a long way from home.”
Post mortem
During the Irish post mortem Redmond says the whole squad took great satisfaction from being the only pre-qualifiers to get to the last eight. Their satisfaction was heightened by coming through Pool A, which included three nations ranked in the top eight in the official IRB world rankings.
“Bearing in mind the catastrophe in Irish rugby history was our failure to defeat Argentina at Lens in 1999, our ambition here was principally, if not solely, to make sure that we didn’t make the same mistake again,” Redmond explained.
“We achieved that objective and achieved it with brownie points in so far as we came through the ‘Group of Death’ to do so.”
New found confidence
Buoyed by a new self confidence and self belief after achieving their initial goal to make the quarter finals, Eddie O’Sullivan’s outfit were not about to rest on their laurels.
“We had the ambition to go further and had every confidence of beating France knowing that we had a very good squad,” Redmond said.
“The principle thing about Irish rugby is that it is now played with more confidence than hope.
“Previously we played with more hope than confidence. We’ve turned that around, principally due to our coach of two years, Eddie O’Sullivan, who has revolutionised Irish rugby.
“We’re not one of the superpowers, but we turned a head or two in this Tournament. I think we’ve particularly shown Australia that we’re right up there with them."
Bright future
Despite the loss of retired captain Keith Wood, Redmond says Ireland can look forward to a bright future with the emergence of young players such as second row Paul O’Connell and loose head prop Marcus Horan.
“I think Brian O’Driscoll reaffirmed his position as the top centre in the world. Denis Hickie, before his unfortunate injury, showed that he’s up there, and on the other wing Shane Horgan got his first opportunity on a world stage to show what he could do.”
As for replacing the inspirational Wood as Ireland captain, Redmond is confident 24 year old O’Driscoll, who has 46 Test caps to his name including nine at the helm, is well credentialled to take over the role.
“Keith Wood, the personality and the player, will never be repeated, but we certainly can and will find people to come along and take over the mantle of leader of Irish rugby on the pitch,” Redmond said.
“Without diminishing anybody else’s claims to fill Keith Wood’s position, I think the heir apparent there would be, by right, Brian O’Driscoll.
“He’s a very selfless player and I think he’s the man we now look to, to lead us into the next World Cup.”
Chilling out
The majority of the Ireland squad is staying on in Australia to, “chill out” until after the Cup final, but it won’t be long before they’ll be required to return to national duty.
“The next commitment for all of the players now is to get home and prepare for the European Cup, which starts in about three weeks time,” Redmond said.
“O’Driscoll is back to his province in two weeks time to prepare for the European Cup.”
And, it would seem, for his predicted ascendency to the captaincy.