Ireland

Our Bid

2023

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The 2011 Rugby World Cup produced countless outstanding individual performances from its opening on September 9, when New Zealand beat Tonga comfortably at Eden Park, to its finale on Sunday when the hosts beat France anything but comfortably at the same ground.

The official RWC website has selected the tournament's top five players and Ireland flanker Sean O'Brien is one of them.

O'Brien, who turns 25 in February, came into the World Cup as the reigning ERC European Player of the Year and he more than delivered on his reputation with some barnstorming displays.

He played in four of Ireland's five matches, starring against Australia and Italy and scoring his second Test try in the win over Russia.

He forged a powerful and dynamic back row combination with Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip and New Zealanders, in particular, admired his strong carries and tough-tackling qualities.

In addition, the tournament website picked out World Cup winners Israel Dagg and Jerome Kaino for their excellent efforts in helping the Kiwis reclaim the title, Jamie Roberts got a nod for his performances in inspiring Wales' run through to the semi-finals and there was some deserved recognition for Namibia's talismanic captain Jacques Burger.

SEAN O'BRIEN (IRELAND):

Ireland's finest moment in the tournament came when they beat Australia in their Pool C encounter, and flanker Sean O'Brien was at the heart of the suffocating defensive effort that restricted the Wallabies to six points.

The 24-year-old was forced into the openside flanker role from his regular blindside position when David Wallace was ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury, and he stepped up to the task with an expertise beyond his years.

O'Brien led his team in both tackles and runs against the Wallabies and was rewarded for the consistency of his powerful ball-carrying with a try against Russia.

To cap off a memorable campaign for the Irish Rugby Writers' Player of the Year, O'Brien was named man-of-the-match in Ireland's win over Italy that sent them into the quarter-finals.

Monday was community legacy day at Women's Rugby World Cup 2017 as the IRFU's 'Spirit of Rugby' programme brought together some local disability rugby players from DLSP Eagles, Seapoint Dragons and Westmanstown Wasps, and a number of WRWC players and coaches from the competing nations, for a fun-filled coaching/training session and Tag rugby games.

Marie Louise Reilly joined her Ireland team-mates Nora Stapleton and Lindsay Peat at a recent Dublin City Council event in support of the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup. Reilly, who works as a DCC Sports Officer, said: "The team are coming together really well, we're working hard and hopefully August will be really memorable not just for us but for the whole country."

Speaking ahead of Saturday's second Test against Japan, Ireland tour captain Rhys Ruddock said: "We've been happy with the results so far, and there's been bits of the performances we've been really happy with and some bits that we're looking to improve on. Tomorrow marks the last opportunity to go out and do that, so we're all really excited about getting out there now."

Speaking about working with the provinces and monitoring players' progress, Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt told RTE Radio 1: "For us, having the best quality of performance within the provinces, getting some really good coaching from the provincial coaches, which we know is happening at the moment, that's the foundation that we need because in the end we get the players in a match week pretty much."