Irish Rugby's Challenges: Key Trends From Losses To New Zealand & France
Irish Rugby's Challenges: Key Trends From Losses To New Zealand & France
Ireland’s rugby setbacks against New Zealand and France highlight key issues in execution, physicality, and tactics, raising questions about their future.
As Ireland’s rugby team continues to navigate the turbulent waters of elite international rugby, the team's back-to-back Six Nations titles and promising player pipeline initially suggested a bright future.
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Yet, recent defeats—most notably their 42-27 loss to France in Round 4 of the 2025 Guinness Six Nations and their World Cup quarterfinal exit to New Zealand in 2023—have exposed a set of recurring issues that are hindering their progress on the global stage.
Dominance in Possession, but No Cutting Edge
A glaring common thread between Ireland's losses to France and New Zealand lies in their dominant possession stats, which ultimately proved fruitless. In both matches, Ireland controlled the ball for extended periods, yet struggled to convert that dominance into tangible points. Against France, Ireland enjoyed 58% of possession and 53% of territory, while they completed 225 passes to France's 131. Despite carrying the ball 141 times compared to just 96 for Les Bleus, they failed to break the French defence.
This mirrored the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal, where Ireland also posted 58% possession and 56% territory alongside 147 carries and 325 passes. Despite this, the All Blacks held firm and countered with clinical precision when the opportunity arose. In both losses, Ireland was relentless in their attack but lacked the ingenuity and finishing power to unlock the opposition's defence. With multiple phases often resulting in little more than another turnover, they wore themselves down and failed to capitalize on the field position they worked so hard to establish.
Breakdown Work and Physicality: A Double-Edged Sword
Another critical pattern that emerged in both losses was Ireland’s struggles at the breakdown. Often lauded for their aggressive and efficient breakdown work, Ireland's once-dependable strength in this area became a vulnerability when faced with opponents who strategically avoided direct engagement. In the 2023 World Cup quarterfinal against New Zealand, the All Blacks allowed Ireland to play their phase-heavy game but created a defence that absorbed the pressure and pounced on any opportunity to disrupt.
Similarly, France—despite the absence of key player Antoine Dupont—showed great tactical awareness, spreading their defence to limit space and avoid getting bogged down in an attritional battle. Ireland’s inability to adjust to these tactics resulted in a lack of progression through the phases and the slow, exhausting nature of their ball retention further played into France's hands.
Physically, Ireland found themselves second-best in both defeats, with their key carriers—Caelan Doris, Tadhg Beirne, and Dan Sheehan—having moments of impact but lacking the consistently dominant performances expected of players in their positions. Joe McCarthy’s unnecessary yellow card in the second half also summed up Ireland’s physical and disciplinary lapses in both matches.
Lineout Woes: A Stifling Limitation
Lineout struggles remain a recurring issue for Ireland in these high-stakes games. While their overall success rate against France was an impressive 95%, their reluctance to throw beyond the front options—especially in key attacking positions—limited the impact of this set-piece. Against New Zealand, Ireland won 87% of their lineouts, yet the frequent overthrows and turnovers in these moments thwarted their attacking efforts at critical junctures. Their conservative approach to lineout strategy, while safe, restricted their ability to vary the attack and keep the opposition guessing.
This is a subtle but vital flaw in Ireland’s tactical makeup. Against top-tier teams like France and New Zealand, variety in set-piece strategy is essential to generating momentum, and Ireland’s predictable lineout throws have become an easy target for their opponents.
Selection and Tactical Missteps: The Elephant in the Room
While Ireland's tactical and physical shortcomings have been evident in both losses, selection decisions also raised questions. Against France, players like Jamie Osborne were asked to play out of position on the wing, while dynamic players like Jack Crowley and Ciaran Frawley were deployed in less impactful roles, denying them the chance to impose themselves on the game. Crowley, in particular, has proven himself to be a dynamic attacking presence but was forced to operate in a more structured and less influential position in the latter stages of the game.
The decision to field veteran players like Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Conor Murray, and Peter O'Mahony in key positions also prompted concerns. These players have served Ireland well in the past, but their age and physical decline may have hampered Ireland’s ability to keep pace with a fast and dynamic French side. The reluctance to inject fresh blood into the side—players like Cormac Izuchukwu, Gavin Coombes, and Max Deegan—has made it difficult for Ireland to match the pace and dynamism of their rivals, especially in a physically demanding contest.
On the tactical front, the Ireland management's apparent failure to evolve in high-pressure matches is troubling. Both the World Cup quarterfinal against New Zealand and the Six Nations loss to France revealed an inability to adjust and take risks when needed. Ireland's reliance on traditional, structured play failed to unlock the defensive lines of their opponents. In such intense encounters, flexibility and the ability to change tactics on the fly are crucial for success.
Looking Ahead: Evolution or Stagnation?
Both the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal and the 2025 Six Nations loss to France served as wake-up calls for Ireland. While they remain a powerful team, their inability to adapt in key moments and evolve their game against elite opposition raises serious concerns. Ireland’s quest for greatness seems to hinge on their ability to learn from these setbacks and make the necessary adjustments to their game.
Ireland's failure to convert possession into points and their struggles at the breakdown are areas that must be addressed before they can truly challenge for the biggest prizes. The key to Ireland's future success lies not just in the individual brilliance of their players but in their ability to be flexible and inventive in high-pressure situations.
As Ireland looks ahead to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, they will need to evolve. A renewed focus on game-changing tactics, a willingness to inject youthful dynamism, and a more varied approach to set-piece play could be the keys to breaking the patterns of failure that have marred their recent campaigns. If Ireland can accept the lessons learned from these defeats, they may yet find the path to rugby’s ultimate glory.
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