Sport with John Duggan: Ireland face Argentina

John Duggan (0:00)

The Hard Shoulder, with Ciara Kelly and Shane Colman.

Ciara Kelly (0:04)

On Newstalk, with Ciara.

John Duggan joins us now with sports news. JD, the Ireland rugby team, about to kick off imminently against Argentina tonight.

John Duggan (0:16)

Yeah, we have the Off The Ball crew down there this evening, led by Owen, Shane, Ciara, with Andy Dunne on analysis and Darius McNocton as well. So 10 past 8, the kick off time. We have enjoyed wins over Australia and Japan in this nation's championship this year, but we suffered defeat to the All Blacks. We'll know more when we play South Africa in a couple of weeks, but it's evident that Ireland are behind the world champions, New Zealand and France in international rugby's pecking order. Argentina have never beaten Ireland and Dublin in a test match, but the Pumas have been competitive against Australia and South Africa of late. Interesting to see how Sam Prendergast and Craig Casey do in the half-back positions. We got a new enough back row as well, Ryan Baird, Nick Timoney of Ulster and Sean Janssen of Connacht.

Head coach Andy Farrell has given pretty much a blunt assessment around where Ireland are now, 12 months out from the World Cup in Australia.

Andy Farrell (1:08)

If we're honest with ourselves, where we are right now, is that good enough to board the plane, believing that 100% we have a chance to win the World Cup. I don't think so, but that excites me more than anything for what's coming up in the next 12 months. So I see a group that's ready for the next challenge.

Ciara Kelly (1:33)

Interesting. We've always said that we peak at the wrong time for World Cup, that we peak too soon.

John Duggan (1:37)

Yeah, we've been number one in the world on a couple of occasions, but we'd never won a knockout game at the World Cup in 40 odd years.

Well, 1997, the first one, so that has to change next year. Actually, our draw is very good. We could easily reach a semifinal, but Andy Farrell is right. I mean, we can't sugarcoat it. We aren't good enough to win a World Cup, but nine of the ten World Cups have been won by a Southern Hemisphere team, so France have never won a World Cup either. But you just look, we've had generational players that we probably don't have at the moment. We don't have a Bad, we don't have a Johnny Sexon at the moment, as good as the players are.

Shane Colman (2:09)

The last one was the one that got away, wasn't it?

John Duggan (2:11)

Absolutely. We would have been in the final. If we beat New Zealand, we should have beaten New Zealand.

Shane Colman (2:17)

We were actually a better team than them at the time. We're not now, but we were then.

John Duggan (2:21)

We blew it in the first 20 minutes. As you know, you were there, Ciara.

Ciara Kelly (2:24)

We lost in the 82nd minute and honestly, myself and people were crying. We couldn't believe it. We really believed we could win and we were like the All Blacks at that point. The All Blacks played till the last second. Ireland did play till the last second and we really still thought it was within our grasp.

John Duggan (2:42)

Ireland have dipped since then.

Andy Farrell (2:43)

They blew the whistle.

Shane Colman (2:45)

Latest round of Premier League fixtures kick off this evening, JD?

John Duggan (2:48)

Everton can move into the top five with the win over Coventry City on Merseyside. Franck Lampard returning to his old club. Leaders Arsenal hosting Hull City tomorrow. Tottenham Hotspur away to Leeds in the early game. That'll be decent. A good barometer where Spurs are. Nottingham Forest versus Manchester City tomorrow evening. Then on Sunday, the pick of the games, Manchester United versus Aston Villa.

A commentary of that game to come on Off The Ball Sunday here on Newstalk after we cover the FAI Cup final. Liverpool away to Crystal Palace on Sunday. They've had a bit of a tricky week, Liverpool. They'll need to bounce back with Palisar.

At the moment, they look like they're going down for me.

Shane Colman (3:19)

Yeah, manager under pressure there.

Ciara Kelly (3:22)

FAI Cup final weekend.

John Duggan (3:25)

So sponsored by Club Orange on Sunday. This is just a great pairing. Waterford FC versus Derry City. They're good at the opposite ends of the island.

Ciara Kelly (3:31)

Is it though?

Shane Colman (3:32)

Is it really? I'm joking.

Ciara Kelly (3:35)

Bitter mwaf.

John Duggan (3:36)

Yes.

Shane Colman (3:37)

Well done to both clubs. And look, Dublin clubs have dominated the League of Ireland of Leith. So good to see two clubs from outside of Dublin in the final.