Ireland's 24-13 loss to South Africa, a 20-minute red card and four yellows from an Andy Farrell-managed team that had shown spirit but ultimately couldn't keep pace with the world champions, has raised concerns about the side's direction now less than two years out from the World Cup. Despite a strong start to the season, Ireland have been struggling to make the step up against top-ranked teams.
Their performance in the autumn series has been characterized by disjointedness and lack of impact from the bench, as seen in their narrow defeats to New Zealand and England. While they have not lost to a side lower than fifth in the present rankings since defeat by Wales in 2021, Saturday's loss against South Africa means they have won just three of their past nine against top teams.
Ireland's set-piece has been under pressure, with the Springboks dominating the scrum and lineout. This has led to a lack of cohesion and organization, resulting in poor moments of decision-making and execution on the pitch.
The team's performance is also being scrutinized by fans and pundits alike, who are expecting more from an Irish team that has consistently punched above their weight for years. Peter O'Mahony, former captain of Ireland Rugby, recently spoke about the need to calm down expectations, but this message seems lost on many.
In the wake of Saturday's defeat, the question now is where do Ireland go next? They start their 2026 Six Nations against France in Paris and visit England in round three. The direction of travel will continue to be a dominant theme between now and those testing February away days. With just over two years to go until the World Cup, Ireland must find a way to raise their game if they are to compete with the best teams in the world.
While Ireland have not lost to a side lower than fifth in the present rankings since defeat by Wales in 2021, Saturday's loss against South Africa means they have won just three of their past nine against top teams. The average margin of defeat is 9.5 points, indicating that Ireland are struggling when expected to make the step up.
Their performance has been characterized by disjointedness and lack of impact from the bench, as seen in their narrow defeats to New Zealand and England. Without stripping the losses of similar context, this trend feels instructive too. The Irish team is in a tier all of their own, still far from flat-track bullies but certainly struggling when expected to make the step up.
In order for Ireland to compete with the best teams in the world, they must find a way to raise their game. This will not be easy, and it will require significant changes to the team's dynamics and approach on the pitch. With just over two years to go until the World Cup, Ireland's next few months will be crucial in determining whether they can bridge the gap between themselves and the top teams.
Their performance in the autumn series has been characterized by disjointedness and lack of impact from the bench, as seen in their narrow defeats to New Zealand and England. While they have not lost to a side lower than fifth in the present rankings since defeat by Wales in 2021, Saturday's loss against South Africa means they have won just three of their past nine against top teams.
Ireland's set-piece has been under pressure, with the Springboks dominating the scrum and lineout. This has led to a lack of cohesion and organization, resulting in poor moments of decision-making and execution on the pitch.
The team's performance is also being scrutinized by fans and pundits alike, who are expecting more from an Irish team that has consistently punched above their weight for years. Peter O'Mahony, former captain of Ireland Rugby, recently spoke about the need to calm down expectations, but this message seems lost on many.
In the wake of Saturday's defeat, the question now is where do Ireland go next? They start their 2026 Six Nations against France in Paris and visit England in round three. The direction of travel will continue to be a dominant theme between now and those testing February away days. With just over two years to go until the World Cup, Ireland must find a way to raise their game if they are to compete with the best teams in the world.
While Ireland have not lost to a side lower than fifth in the present rankings since defeat by Wales in 2021, Saturday's loss against South Africa means they have won just three of their past nine against top teams. The average margin of defeat is 9.5 points, indicating that Ireland are struggling when expected to make the step up.
Their performance has been characterized by disjointedness and lack of impact from the bench, as seen in their narrow defeats to New Zealand and England. Without stripping the losses of similar context, this trend feels instructive too. The Irish team is in a tier all of their own, still far from flat-track bullies but certainly struggling when expected to make the step up.
In order for Ireland to compete with the best teams in the world, they must find a way to raise their game. This will not be easy, and it will require significant changes to the team's dynamics and approach on the pitch. With just over two years to go until the World Cup, Ireland's next few months will be crucial in determining whether they can bridge the gap between themselves and the top teams.
. They've had some great results before, but now they're struggling against the big teams. I think it's because they need to make some changes to their game plan - maybe focus more on set pieces and cohesion? 
It's not easy, though, and it'll take time and effort to sort things out. The fans are getting a bit frustrated, but I'm sure they'll support the team no matter what 
. We just need to see some consistency now... 2 years to the World Cup is still a long way off, but it's coming up fast 
!
. Been seeing same old mistakes and disjointedness on pitch for ages 
. Need to bring in new blood and fresh ideas 
. Can't keep relying on same old tactics that aren't working 
. Fans are getting frustrated too 
. Need to calm expectations but also give fans something to be excited about 
. Not giving up hope yet 
, just need to make some big changes and take it one step at a time 
️. That's my two cents 
. it feels like they're still finding their way around the pitch & struggling to make an impact when faced with top-tier opposition 
. peter o'mahony's words about calming down expectations are a good starting point, but fans/pundits expect more from irish rugby 
. They've been doing well for a long time but now they're struggling against top-ranked teams. It's like they're stuck in neutral 
. I think the problem is that they're not adapting quickly enough to the level of competition. They need to find ways to improve their set-piece game and be more cohesive as a team. And yeah, Peter O'Mahony makes a good point about calming down expectations, but it's hard for fans when we've seen them consistently punch above their weight for years