“The Ireland team over the last two years have developed habits that are all about the process, and things will take care of themselves off the back of that”.
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“I tend to agree but we need a bit of luck injury-wise”.
Ireland are fifth favourites (9/1) behind Australia (8/1), South Africa (6/1) and hosts England (9/2) while the bookies ultimately believe New Zealand will take the Webb Ellis trophy – priced at 5/4.
“I saw them against England and they’ll be no pushovers”.
He would sit down personally with each individual of his enlarged squad of around 50 players and address their strengths and weaknesses and add if this and that was done then come the series they would be up for selection.
‘A good World Cup for us will be qualifying for the next World Cup, so you have to finish third in your pool for that, ‘ said Crowley.
“So it’s a huge honour to be able to represent Ireland now, there’s a lot of expectation, I’ll do my job the best I can and hopefully we can make people happy”.
“For me personally, if I get onto the field it would be my fourth cap”. Full-back Rob Kearney, fly-half Jonny Sexton, No.8 Jamie Heaslip, flanker Sean O’Brien, and prop Cian Healy all loom as crucial cogs in Ireland’s campaign.
In a wider context, there is one standout moment that Leamy will never forget.
The Great World Cup Debate: Should Joe Schmidt play his strongest side against the Canadians? I was only on the bench and I had no effect on the pitch but it was a fantastic performance and a great win.
Schmidt is aiming to guide the 2014 and 2015 Six Nations champions to their first World Cup semi-final and Kay says the Kiwi is taking a calculated gamble with his team’s preparations.
The squad looked relaxed ahead of their departure for Wales, with Munster duo Simon Zebo and Peter O’Mahony enjoying a final hit-out in Kildare.
Leamy is dejected after the France game in 2007.
‘We’ll get the World Cup out of the way first, ‘ said Crowley when quizzed on his long-term future with Canada.
“We still had two tough training days to get through on Monday and Tuesday”.
“We have improved massively over the last seven years but so has everyone else, so you have to have that sort of competition to also keep coaches and administrators coming through”. As will one other very important factor.
“With my own rugby involvement, it’s pretty much full-time with Rockwell College and Clonmel”, the 33-year-old Tipperary native explained.
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“It’s going to be very hard to find something to replicate that, but everyone’s career moves on and you just have to move on and make the most of it”.
