Ireland have captured the attention of every other nation as best in the world

IRELAND'S Rugby World Cup journey has been a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows.

While they've demonstrated their prowess on the international stage with strong performances in the Six Nations Championship and other tests, they've faced challenges in translating that success into World Cup glory.

The 2023 tournament offers another chance for Ireland to prove their mettle on the grandest stage of them all.

Andy Farrell's squad of 33 undoubtedly has a lot of quality, but it also has a blend of experienced veterans and promising young talent.

The squad has been split into 18 forwards and 15 backs, and each one of these players needs to shoulder the country's expectations.

Ireland are ranked as the best team in the world and have been for quite some time.

They have been able to foster a winning mindset driven by the senior players and management.

Ireland now play with a freedom that has caught the attention of every nation around the glob, and it's fantastic to be heading into a tournament firing on all cylinders.

However, it's important to note that form can be unpredictable and the true measure of a team's capability is often revealed when the stakes are at their highest.

Ultimately, while past performances can offer insight, the 2023 Rugby World Cup is a fresh opportunity for Ireland to script a new narrative.

Their journey will be filled with ups and downs.

And, of course, they are going to need some "luck of the Irish" in keeping a fit and healthy squad, which will be vital to their success.

As the tournament unfolds, rugby enthusiasts around the world will be eagerly watching to see if Ireland can rise to the occasion and etch their mark in the history books.

Bring it home, lads. Dare to Dream.

BOYS IN GREEN LONG SHOT TO BEAT FRANCE

By Nicola McGeady

Having been so focused on our Girls in Green, attention now turns to the Boys in Green.

The Republic of Ireland play their Euro 2024 Qualifier away to France in Paris next Thursday and what a mammoth task we have on our hands.

The odds don't bode well for us, with Stephen Kenny's men as big as 11/1 in the match betting, with Les Bleus as short as 1/4.

Ireland's famous 1-0 victory over France in Paris in 2009 remains firmly etched in our memories, but the gap in class has grown much wider since then.

Ireland lost at home to France earlier in the year, so playing on their patch against world class players is only going to be a much bigger challenge.

I hope I am wrong, but I'm not expecting any fairytale on Thursday night.

LIVERPOOL NEED TO SPEND MONEY

By Stephen Ireland

In an exclusive interview with Ladbrokes, Stephen Ireland says the best Liverpool will manage this season is seventh.

I think Liverpool are terrible at the moment, and I just can't see anything more than seventh or eighth for them.

I just don't see them being that strong this season.

I feel like there's a lot of negativity in the club right now.

The manager looks a bit beat up, as if this has become a harder job than he would've wanted it to be.

Liverpool need to spend a lot more money; it doesn't feel like he's actually got that many players to pick from anymore.

All of their best players have either gone or are going. Letting people like Sadio Mane go, at the time, probably wasn't the best decision from club.

I've no doubt the manager is really, really frustrated, especially when you look at how close Jude Bellingham was to joining in the summer.

Now it's like they're clutching at straws with the players they're brining in, and they just don't look good to me.

The only thing they've got going at the moment is that they can kick on from that comeback win against Newcastle last weekend.