The final time Eire visited Allianz Stadium, in 2024, they’d simply equalled England’s Six Nations file of 11 straight wins and have been chasing the rarefied air of back-to-back Grand Slams.
Since that 23-22 defeat, nevertheless, Eire have misplaced six occasions in 20 Checks. All six of these losses have come towards the opposite three nations – South Africa, New Zealand and France – presently ranked larger than Andy Farrell’s aspect.
Within the 12 months since beating England in final 12 months’s Six Nations, Eire have misplaced to France (twice), the All Blacks and the Springboks by a mixed 61 factors.
Their depressing return to Paris a fortnight in the past ended with their heaviest Six Nations loss in 16 years, giving gas to the ‘Eire in decline’ debate.
Certainly, a succession of humbling in-ring experiences with the sport’s heavyweights have intensified the scrutiny on a workforce who’ve slipped to fifth on the planet rankings after coming into the 2023 World Cup as primary.
Whether or not it has been age profile, a creaking scrum, a sputtering assault, the unsettled fly-half state of affairs or a British and Irish Lions hangover, a lot of the dialogue has been largely damaging.
However from an Irish perspective, there isn’t any higher option to flip the narrative than an enormous win over the English, who’re wounded from final week’s Calcutta Cup defeat by Scotland.
In fact, having left Stade de France empty-handed earlier than failing to safe a bonus level within the win over Italy, Eire know one other loss would sprint their title hopes for an additional 12 months.
“I feel the lads are going to be a bit aggravated on the damaging chat that is surrounding the workforce for the previous whereas,” legendary Eire scrum-half Conor Murray mentioned on the Eire Rugby Social.
“There’s so many high quality, world-class gamers and leaders in that workforce. I hope they simply go there and say ‘let’s go for it right here, lads, we’re sick of individuals speaking about us in a damaging mild, take a look at the standard we have now within the room.”
