Affronted Ireland hit the ground running – but tougher Rugby World Cup tests around the corner

Their big forwards were carrying hard again, Conor Murray was buzzing around at scrum-half, the defence was back on point and James Ryan was James Ryan. But they were playing against Scotland

When Ireland became the world’s number ranked team earlier this month after beating Wales they should automatically have had a target on their back, but that has been removed already.

Well, it was good while it lasted.

Come Monday morning, when the ratings are announced officially, they will no longer be the planet’s top dogs as that title has gone back to New Zealand after their 23-12 win over South Africa on Saturday.

The loss of status did not seem to affect them as they ran out comfortable 27-3 winners over Scotland in rainy Yokohama. But a win over Scotland hardly amounts to the sort of potential World Cup winning form the Irish had under a year ago.

They are not back to those heights, when the All Blacks were their bunnies, but they are getting there.

Here their big forwards were carrying hard again as they did in warm-ups against Wales, Conor Murray was buzzing around at scrum-half, the defence was back on point and James Ryan was James Ryan and CJ Stander was bang up for it. But they were playing against Scotland.

Rob Kearney, Robbie Henshaw and Keith Earls all missed this game injured and Dan Leavy and Sean O’Brien never made it to Japan. That is a serious amount of talent to lose and it was worrying from an emerald point of view when Peter O’Mahony went off in the first and Johnny Sexton gave up kicking duties in the first half.

But get that first-named trio fit and don’t pick up any more injuries and Ireland have a puncher’s chance of getting to the semi-final for the first time. They should win the pool – the other teams are Japan, Samoa and Russia – so don’t have to flog their players. So far, so easy.

Then they will probably meet South Africa in the last eight. The Boks have improved but Ireland have knocked them over in recent years and won’t be intimidated.

Irish fans should not, and won’t give up hope.

But the stats say that seven times they have got to the quarter-finals and seven times they have gone home. They have never won a World Cup knock-out match.

Under a year ago with two wins over New Zealand, in 2016 and 2018, and a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2018, Ireland would have fancied their chances in a World Cup. Not many would have bet seriously against them but it is a bit different now.

Ireland hit the ground running against Scotland (Getty)

They were battered 57-15 by England at Twickenham, laughably just before they got to the top of the charts before two wins against Wales. But the Six Nations third place, where they were ambushed by Eddie Jones’ team and crushed 25-7 by the Welsh was less than ideal in World Cup year.

When Wales then Ireland became number one successively the call went up that the rankings meant nothing unless you had a World Cup in your locker to back it up.

The All Blacks were top of the tree for a staggering 508 weeks until 18 August and had collected the Webb Ellis Trophy in 2011 and 2015 on the way. They backed it up all right.

Where Ireland sit in what recently has been seen as a back of a fag packet calculation will not affect them in this World Cup and head coach Joe Schmidt knows it.

New Zealand are the team to beat (Getty)

They have not really been the best team in the world at any point this year but this World Cup opener was a decent start in their bid to get to the top of the world when it really matters.

Can they win it? Yes. Will they? Probably not.