Ireland accused of World Cup arrogance against All Blacks

Springboks lock and double World Cup winner Eben Etzebeth has accused Ireland of being arrogant, and disrespecting the All Blacks during last year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

Due to the lopsided nature of last year’s World Cup draw, former world No 1 Ireland and 2019 champions South Africa met in the pool stage.

And as the Irish took a 13-8 victory in a hard-fought encounter in Paris, the win put Andy Farrell’s men on a collision course with the All Blacks in the quarter-final.

However, speaking on former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton’s the Rugby Pod, Etzebeth revealed Ireland viewed their clash against South Africa as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup final.

“After the game, you shake the guys’ hands and probably 12 out of the 23 told me, ‘see you guys in the final’,” he said.

“My immediate thought was, ‘Are these guys seriously not even thinking about the All Blacks in a World Cup quarter-final, playing against them?’

“That remark that they made - ‘see you guys in the final’. I just thought these guys were making a big mistake to look past probably the most dominant team in the last 20 to 30 years of Test rugby. Surely, they can’t.

“It just felt like they were just so confident saying things like that when you know you got the mighty All Blacks coming up in a World Cup quarter-final.”

History will show Ireland’s sentiment did not age well.

In another bruising encounter at Stade de France, the All Blacks had the last laugh and eliminated Ireland with a 28-24 win.

The victory was vindication for now-former coach Ian Foster, who had come close to losing his job after a history-making 2-1 series defeat to Ireland in 2022.

Defeat meanwhile continued Ireland’s horrendous record in Rugby World Cup knockout matches. In 10 World Cups, Ireland have been eliminated in the quarter-finals eight times, and never advanced to the last four.

However, the aftermath of the All Blacks’ win did nothing to mend any fences with the Irish.

Centre Rieko Ioane came under fire for making a shushing gesture to Ireland captain Johnny Sexton, in a move that was labelled as “classless” by Irish journalist Gerry Thornley.

In 2022, Ireland loose forward Peter O’Mahony called All Blacks captain Sam Cane a “s**t Richie McCaw” during his side’s series win in Wellington. In response, Brodie Retallick has confirmed he told O’Mahony “four more years, you f***wit”.

Irish sentiment over their side’s World Cup exit hasn’t abated either.

Earlier this year, as Ireland and France met in the Six Nations, Irish hooker Rob Herring labelled the clash as “the World Cup final everyone wanted, but never got”.

Instead, the All Blacks and South Africa met in the final, where the Springboks claimed a record fourth crown with a 12-11 victory in Paris.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission