Ireland will have the same team in the next World Cup as the last edition minus a handful of retirements.
I don’t know if any of the players are better now than they were four years ago.
Craig Casey had a poor season last year but it’s difficult behind the Munster scrum.
His passing is now absolutely top class. He is clearly always up against because of his size but he’s a very good player.
In the last season or so he actually went up to a level I didn’t think he had in him. There’s probably still more improvement in him, I wouldn’t write him off at all. Doak needs to speed up.
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If everyone was fit you’d have the same 1-9 sexton retired and Lowe has left.
You’ll have ringrose and Aki with Hansen and Keenan.
So that’s two changes to the starting 15.
POM has gone since then as well. Iain Henderson started the NZ game surprisingly (to me).
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Doak has the goal-kicking though. If Baby Prender is first choice you can’t rely on him for that (or tackling) so you could see why Doak might be seen as an option to partner him when JGP goes.
I think Casey has been outclassed by that O’Donovan lad this season in the 2 games I’ve watched.
All that being said Centre and Outhalf is my big concern.
Just two players?
Correct. One of whom is homegrown.
And only Nash and Crowley called out as being injured.
I’m guessing interest in Ireland down south must be at an all time low.
Is the 2 (TWO) from Munster a record?
James McNabney is a great Ulster Protestant sounding name.
Is Moo-Ray there?
Lawrence Dallaglio sells Rugby World Cup medal for just £54,000 amid bankruptcy extension
21 Oct 2026 1:00 PM
Lawrence Dallaglio’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winner’s medal © Budds/PA Wire
Lawrence Dallaglio’s Rugby World Cup winner’s medal has sold at auction for a hammer-price of £54,000 (€64,000).
The 54-year-old agreed to part with the “silver-gilt” memento from England’s 2003 triumph and other memorabilia from his playing career after his bankruptcy was extended by up to another year.
The World Cup winner’s medal was listed for an estimated £50,000-£80,000 and an internet buyer succeeded with a bid at the lower end of that scale.
Tuesday’s auction via Budds in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, raised a combined £100,500 across 12 items, including Dallaglio’s 2003 Six Nations winner’s medal (£7,500), his 2007 World Cup runner’s-up medal (£5,000) and his 2004 Heineken Cup winner’s medal (£4,400).
Ten other pieces of memorabilia failed to sell.
Dallaglio, declared bankrupt last year after racking up hundreds of thousands of pounds of debt to HM Revenue & Customs and others, also put other medals he won during his playing career up for sale, as well as a Lions cap and England equivalent.
It had been forecast that the overall collection, which included his player of the year awards, would raise £180,000.
Auctioneer Budds had said of the World Cup winner’s medal: “It was presented to Dallaglio on November 22, 2003 in Sydney, following victory in the Rugby World Cup final against host nation Australia.
Lawrence Dallaglio with his England teammates after winning the Rugby World Cup in 2003 © Corbis/VCG via Getty Images
“England defeated Australia 20-17 after extra-time. It was the pinnacle of world rugby and the singular greatest achievement in English rugby history.”
News of the auction emerged weeks after Dallaglio revealed he sought therapy after his divorce and bankruptcy left him wallowing in “self-pity”.
In his first major interview since being declared bankrupt in May last year, the former forward also admitted: “I could’ve done things a lot better.”
Telegraph Sport has exclusively chronicled the former England captain’s financial plight, most recently revealing his bankruptcy had been extended until August 31 next year following allegations of “excessive spending”.
This publication previously disclosed how Dallaglio had been made bankrupt weeks after his divorce from estranged wife Alice.
Thoroughly enjoyed his book
I’d have thought the rugby set would have looked after him a bit at the auction and overbid on a few items.
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Gervais Thornley is impressed with Benson
“ A skilful, tidy player, with a varied kicking game, he has a low centre of gravity with a nifty step off his left, as well as a creative, passing game.”
Ian Madigan is very good on the tens imo.
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He was never part of the set.
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We did it!