Opinion: Ireland can go all way and win World Cup in France

Ireland’s next competitive match will be against Romania a day later in Bordeaux.

It is well documented that Ireland have never been beyond the quarter-finals in the previous nine World Cups but for the first time, Ireland will enter the tournament as Grand Slam champions and ranked as the top side in the world.

Ulster hooker Rob Herring scored the final try of Ireland’s historic win over England in Dublin to seal the slam and he sees no reason why Ireland can’t add the William Webb Ellis trophy at the Stade des France on October 28.

Herring said: “[We want to] go and win a World Cup hopefully, we're the number one team in the world, why wouldn't we dare to dream – we've put ourselves in this position and the belief in the squad is there, that's our next goal.”

There is no reason to disagree with Herring.

If Ireland get through their Pool, which contains South Africa and Scotland – who they have already beaten this season – they’ll face either France or the All Blacks in the quarter-finals, teams Ireland have defeated in the last 12 months.

Andy Farrell’s team have shown a steely resilience, bouncing back from losing the opening test of their summer tour 42-19 to the All Blacks to win the next two tests and claim a first ever series win in New Zealand.

In the Autumn Farrell’s side showed they could grind out big results, beating both South Africa (19-16) and Australia (13-10) by three points.

The first three games of the Six Nations saw routine victories over Wales, France and Italy but it was in the fourth game against Scotland that Farrell’s side showed their mettle.

Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher, Iain Henderson, Caelan Doris and Garry Ringrose all had to go off injured and Ireland finished the game with their replacement loose head prop Cian Healy playing at hooker, and flanker Josh van der Flier throwing in at the lineouts.

Despite the adversity Ireland still won the game comfortably 22-7 and were unlucky not to get a try-scoring bonus point.

No matter what has been thrown at Farrell’s team, they just get on with the job.

An overlooked fact on the way to the Grand Slam was that Ireland didn’t receive any cards during the tournament, managing to keep 15 players on the pitch for the whole 400 minutes they played.

In an era where every challenge is scrutinised by the officials and the TMO, discipline will be a key factor at the World Cup.

Johnny Sexton is set retire at the end of the World Cup aged 37 years-old and the Leinster out-half’s fitness will be paramount to Ireland’s success in France.

France will be Sexton’s last chance on the world stage and Ireland fans will be hoping he can do what Lionel Messi did for Argentina in the football equivalent last December.

Ireland are 4/1 to win the World Cup behind favourites France and New Zealand, and that looks very generous odds indeed for Farrell’s rampant Green Machine.