“I still have nightmares about that game,” says Tadhg Beirne, who admits he finds himself thinking about that night at the Stade de France “quite regularly.”
Particularly if you are having a sleepless night (laughs), it can keep you up at night sometimes.
“I think that’s sport and they are the things you kinda have to live with. You’ve lost, (and have to) live with disappointment from that, there are ones where we’ve probably disappointed others (teams) in the past and they are in the situation I am in. We lost that day and we can’t change it but sometimes those moments just pop into your head and you can’t help it, (thinking about) what could have been…”
The margins were typically tight that night, and Beirne is still frustrated by his own role in the play that led to Will Jordan’s second-half try, as New Zealand ran in a first-phase score off a lineout in their own half.
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A dejected Beirne after last year's quarter-final defeat. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“One thing that sticks out in my mind was something I don’t usually do in a four-man (lineout). I usually put pressure on the number nine, and I decided not to and then they ultimately scored off it.
“It didn’t ultimately lose us the game but they are moments in the game where you certainly think back and have nightmares about. If there is one thing we can be better at it is just continue to try and see opportunities and take them.
“It is a game of inches at the end of the day and I think there is a few moments in that game where we have looked back and said ‘we could have done this’ and ‘we could have done that’ and I think it is just being better in the moment, being able to see things in the moment and take those opportunities.”
While there is a fair degree of continuity in this Ireland team – with 17 of tonight’s matchday 23 involved in last year’s quarter-final – New Zealand find themselves on a different path. Only 10 of their 23 were part of that 28-24 win in Paris.
A mix of retirements, injuries, and a new head coach make this a transitional period for the visitors. Scott Robertson is 11 games into his tenure as New Zealand boss, winning eight and losing three [to Argentina and South Africa (twice)] so far.
His team head to the Aviva having won their last four on the bounce [v Australia (twice), Japan and England] but have yet to fully convince under their new head coach.
“He’s obviously trying new things, developing their attack and developing as well and, yeah, I think any new coach is going to put their own stamp on a team and you can see that starting to happen with New Zealand.
They are certainly getting better game on game for sure and I don’t think it will be any different (tonight), their performance will go up another level.”
Beirne was away in Portugal for Ireland’s pre-November training camp when he learned that Munster had parted ways with Graham Rowntree.
He logged on for the online call where the situation was explained to the squad by CEO Ian Flanagan, and as Munster captain, was in contact with some of his team-mates to check on how the news had landed. He admits the development came as a shock.
“Yeah, ultimately I think we all were (shocked) obviously, we were all informed about it but the decision was from Munster and Ireland and we must move on from this point.
“Look, I’m disappointed for him. I think everything he’s done for Munster has been incredible. He brought the silverware to Munster in his first year and at a personal level I had a great relationship with Graham as well.
“I’ll be sad to see him go but I guess that’s part of sport too. These things do happen. I think the focus for me is now on Ireland.”
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'I still have nightmares about that game' - World Cup pain yet to leave Beirne
ANDY FARRELL MAY be pushing the line that revenge is not a motivating factor ahead of Ireland’s meeting with New Zealand tonight, but for some of his players, the pain of last year’s World Cup quarter-final still plays on the mind.
“I still have nightmares about that game,” says Tadhg Beirne, who admits he finds himself thinking about that night at the Stade de France “quite regularly.”
“I think that’s sport and they are the things you kinda have to live with. You’ve lost, (and have to) live with disappointment from that, there are ones where we’ve probably disappointed others (teams) in the past and they are in the situation I am in. We lost that day and we can’t change it but sometimes those moments just pop into your head and you can’t help it, (thinking about) what could have been…”
The margins were typically tight that night, and Beirne is still frustrated by his own role in the play that led to Will Jordan’s second-half try, as New Zealand ran in a first-phase score off a lineout in their own half.
“One thing that sticks out in my mind was something I don’t usually do in a four-man (lineout). I usually put pressure on the number nine, and I decided not to and then they ultimately scored off it.
“It didn’t ultimately lose us the game but they are moments in the game where you certainly think back and have nightmares about. If there is one thing we can be better at it is just continue to try and see opportunities and take them.
“It is a game of inches at the end of the day and I think there is a few moments in that game where we have looked back and said ‘we could have done this’ and ‘we could have done that’ and I think it is just being better in the moment, being able to see things in the moment and take those opportunities.”
While there is a fair degree of continuity in this Ireland team – with 17 of tonight’s matchday 23 involved in last year’s quarter-final – New Zealand find themselves on a different path. Only 10 of their 23 were part of that 28-24 win in Paris.
A mix of retirements, injuries, and a new head coach make this a transitional period for the visitors. Scott Robertson is 11 games into his tenure as New Zealand boss, winning eight and losing three [to Argentina and South Africa (twice)] so far.
His team head to the Aviva having won their last four on the bounce [v Australia (twice), Japan and England] but have yet to fully convince under their new head coach.
“He’s obviously trying new things, developing their attack and developing as well and, yeah, I think any new coach is going to put their own stamp on a team and you can see that starting to happen with New Zealand.
Beirne was away in Portugal for Ireland’s pre-November training camp when he learned that Munster had parted ways with Graham Rowntree.
He logged on for the online call where the situation was explained to the squad by CEO Ian Flanagan, and as Munster captain, was in contact with some of his team-mates to check on how the news had landed. He admits the development came as a shock.
“Yeah, ultimately I think we all were (shocked) obviously, we were all informed about it but the decision was from Munster and Ireland and we must move on from this point.
“Look, I’m disappointed for him. I think everything he’s done for Munster has been incredible. He brought the silverware to Munster in his first year and at a personal level I had a great relationship with Graham as well.
“I’ll be sad to see him go but I guess that’s part of sport too. These things do happen. I think the focus for me is now on Ireland.”
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Ireland Rugby sore spot Tadhg Beirne New Zealand