The real group behind Ireland loss to New Zealand revealed
In a gripping quarter-final showdown at the Stade de France, Ireland’s Rugby World Cup dreams were dashed once again as they faced a formidable New Zealand All Blacks team. Despite an epic contest that saw New Zealand emerge victorious with a 28-24 scoreline, the real reason behind Ireland’s defeat is can now be revealed by Rugby Onslaught.
Leicester Fainga’anuku’s early try set the tone for the All Blacks as they raced to a 13-0 lead. However, Ireland’s center Bundee Aki danced his way over the try line, breathing new life into the Irish challenge. Ardie Savea responded for New Zealand, but Jamison Gibson-Park’s try, while Aaron Smith was in the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, saw Ireland narrow the lead to 18-17 at halftime.
Will Jordan bagged his fifth try of the tournament for the All Blacks, but a crucial penalty try, with hooker Codie Taylor receiving a yellow card, once again brought Ireland within one point of their opponents. Center Jordie Barrett secured a penalty kick for New Zealand, and despite a relentless 37-phase Irish attack in the closing minutes, the All Blacks held on to secure their place in the semi-finals.
While many factors contributed to Ireland’s heartbreaking loss, some fans and pundits are pointing to a peculiar twist of fate as the real reason for their downfall.
Beloved fan site Rugby Onslaught had appealed to bitter rivals, the Springbok fans, to send their prayers to Ireland, hoping to receive some moral support in the face of their quarter-final challenge. However, Springbok fans opted to withhold their prayers, which had a devastating impact on the outcome of the match.
Rugby Onslaught, known for its engaging and passionate community of fans, often encourages support between rival teams as a display of camaraderie within the sport. In this case, they reached out to Springbok fans, requesting prayers for Ireland. The absence of these prayers, as some believe, made the difference between Ireland winning and losing.
In the aftermath of this thrilling quarter-final, New Zealand now advances to the semi-finals, where they will face Argentina at the Stade de France on Friday, October 20, 2023. As Ireland reflects on another quarter-final exit, they may wonder what might have been if they had received the support and prayers of their fellow rugby enthusiasts.
