Frank Quinn reviews the best rugby team in the world
- Updated: 25/11/2025
NICE clean record, then we just lost to the two best teams in World Rugby
as expected – One in America, The All Blacks and one in The Aviva
South Africa , we did not perform.
The form in the Lions Tour was torn up and the win was shown up in
true form when a very poor Australian touring side were beaten by
England, Ireland – Italy and France – all the Countries working on
their own without any help from the Lions touring circus. We were last
in line for the South African chopping block – probably just as well as
no decent rugby follower in Europe wants to see any more of their brutal
tactics shown in the Aviva. We went along to see the best team in the
world – the current RWC holders. But what we saw was a disaster of the
highest degree , played out in front of us – they did not need a ball –
just a new deck of cards to dish out by the referee . They only need one
half o the pitch because the South Africans only played in our half as
near our try line as possible. They could have brought a camp and lived
in it. Everyone in the stadium was waiting for at least three / four
penalty tries for all the Irish team scrum infringements. Another +20
points added to the score would have seen justice done at about a 50-13
scoreline.
The South African game plan hymn sheet is as well known as the bible
so why do we try to match their vicious system – why would we try to
play them at their own game when we have rugby talent to display, real
educated brains to put on the park, who could play class rugby,
entertain us . and as we leave the stadium thinking we might come back
again. not the possiblity that the nexct door neighbours telling you
they switched it off – it was awful.
I would not attempt to justify or discuss individually the displinery
tales of woe – with all colours of cards on display – TMO’s having a
field day with verdicts like Judge Duffy. I just came to see a rugby
game and 80 minutes would haver done me instead of 132 minutes that we
got. Are the referees and officials and players paid by the minute. It
certainly looks that way or paid by each decision handed out. How the
players survived on the try line and how no player was seriously injured
is a miracle although the injured list is growing at our four clubs,
according to their weekly coaching reports .
The next miracle is how 12 out of 15 starters for Ireland came from one
Club – Leinster and 15 from 23 in the Irish squad – throw in Leinser’s
RG Snyman from SA and you have a full house, it was more like a card
game at Vagus. Accept that they are the best 23 we could muster after
training, that is Ireland. The coaches have to fill the 1-23 places
available. You end up thinking are they giving back the entrace money
and can the travelling public claim back the fares for such a poor game.
How the Irish management find the positives – say it is a learning curve
-(after 150 years), is all beyond me – Our hard won world ranking is
torn up and forget any laudable ideas of a 6N run on this current form
in 2026. But we are left in this hole in the downturn and somebody has
to dig us over the xmas period and the local competitions.
We do deserve better – We want better, I am convinced of that but,
we need to play rugby , our sights have to be adjusted, flair – poise ,
class – running rugby, has to be added to the diet with the Christmas
turkey.
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