Ireland Flanker Tadhg Beirne Still Haunted by World Cup Quarter-Final Loss to All Blacks

Ireland flanker Tadhg Beirne has admitted that the 28-24 defeat by the All Blacks in last year’s World Cup quarter-finals remains a frequent thought for him. The two national teams are scheduled to meet again on Friday night at the Aviva Stadium, marking their first encounter since that decisive knock-out game in Paris. While the previous ten matches between them have resulted in an even split of five victories for each side, New Zealand not only triumphed in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final but also at the identical stage in Japan four years prior. Beirne, who will wear the Irish number six jersey in Dublin, expressed the lasting impact of the game, stating, “I still have nightmares about that game.” He elaborated on how the memory can persist: “Particularly if you are having a sleepless night, it can keep you up at night sometimes. I think that’s sport and they are the things you kind of have to live with.” He further reflected on the nature of such a loss: “You have lost, live with disappointment for that. 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 – what could have been.” Thirteen months ago at the Stade de France, Ireland had several opportunities to secure a win, notably when hooker Ronan Kelleher was stopped just short of the try line by an outstanding defensive intervention from centre Jordie Barrett late in the game. Beirne added, “Look 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.” He concluded by emphasizing, “If there is one thing we can be better at, it is just continue to try and see opportunities and take them.”