Why Ireland's off-Broadway clash with Georgia is a crucial first step in 2027 World Cup journey

Extra.ie​

a day ago

It will be 2am in Sydney when Ireland's clash with Georgia gets going at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi.
Andy Farrell is very much in Lions mode at the moment, but it's highly likely that he'll be hunkered over a laptop in the small hours to see how this young and experimental Irish team go against a rising force of the global game.
The Lions – replete with a record contingent of 16 Irish players – are hogging all the limelight at present and Ireland's summer tour has a distinct 'off-Broadway' vibe about it. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Make no mistake, however, Farrell is keeping tabs on developments in Eastern Europe. It will be the same story in Lisbon next week.
Team Ireland have been utterly fragmented in recent months. Farrell, a sizeable crew of assistant coaches and a busload of frontliners are currently in Australia. Caelan Doris, Robbie Henshaw and Iain Henderson are back home in Ireland rehabbing injuries. Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray and Cian Healy have retired while Paul O'Connell – the interim, interim head coach – is bringing a crew of fringe players on tour.
It's all a bit chaotic but there will be a singular focus once the autumn internationals appear on the horizon.
Farrell and his merry band of Lions will be back on national duty. There will be no distractions come November. A looming rematch with the All Blacks in Chicago will focus minds. Soldier Field: Part 2 is going to be box office. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
The Wallabies and the Springboks are also paying visits to Dublin.
And there will be a real sense that the countdown to the 2027 World Cup has begun. The draw for the global showpiece in Australia is set to take place in December.
Farrell and this entire Ireland setup will begin to zero in on the big one in two years' time.
In that context, these looming games against Georgia and Portugal are massive opportunities.
This is a chance for the next generation to stake their claim for inclusion in November and the 2026 Six Nations, and beyond.
It's been clear for the past 12 months that Ireland are in dire need of another reboot across the board. From personnel to tactics. Performance and results have been patchy. Ireland are in the early stages of the next evolution.
There is a clutch of top players who are on the wrong side of 30, namely Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Tadhg Beirne, Henderson and Jamison Gibson-Park. Tadhg Furlong is beginning to show signs of wear and tear from a decade at the coalface, while O'Mahony, Murray and Healy have all called it a day.
Farrell's Ireland is going to have a very different look in November. Fast forward to 2027 and the matchday 23 will have a fresh look about it.
The latest rebuild begins in Tblisi and Farrell will be watching with interest.
Tommy O'Brien and Darragh Murray are making their Test debuts with four more potential new caps on the bench in the form of Michael Milne, Jack Aungier, Tom Ahern and Ben Murphy.
O'Brien recently turned 27 so he's no spring chicken when it comes to top-level rugby. Last season was the first time that this talented wing, who has been blighted by injuries throughout this career, got a run of games, and it showed.
O'Brien was superb for Leinster. His pace could be a real game-changer for an Irish side which has lacked a bit of gas in the wide channels for quite some time. Crucially, he revels in the defensive side of things.
O'Brien is the kind of player who could rise up the Test ranks swiftly. Jamie Osborne and tour captain Craig Casey are also banging on that door.
This doesn't sound like it's going to be an occasion for free-flowing rugby, however.
The weather has been biblical in Tblisi all week and the Georgians, despite unearthing some real gems out wide – namely La Rochelle-bound full-back Davit Niniashvili – will be going Old Testament on the Irish pack this evening.
The Lelos are renowned for their forward power and pride themselves on their fearsome scrum. Their starting frontrow of Irakli Aptsiauri, Vano Karkadze and Giorgi Akhaladze are all seasoned operators who all ply their trade in the Top14 with Lyon, Montpellier and Clermont respectively.
They will be eyeing up Ireland's trio of greenhorns in the frontrow with relish. Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy and Thomas Clarkson have just 10 international caps between team.
We're likely to see plenty of scrums and plenty of opportunities to feel the heat. All three frontrowers made massive strides last season and if they come through this stern scrummaging examination with reputations greatly enhanced, it will be a massive boost for Ireland's World Cup chances down the line.
Clarkson, in particular, finished Leinster's campaign in impressive form with the young tighthead delivering a dominant display against a giant Bulls pack in the URC final.
McCarthy has taken to senior rugby with ease while Boyle had seemingly moved ahead of Healy in the loosehead pecking order. Leinster and Ireland desperately need him to make the step up. This is a huge night for Ireland's frontrow stocks.
Murray can further has cause, too. The uncapped Connacht lock is a real lineout technician. The Westerners endured a poor campaign but their lineout was one of the best in the URC and Murray was central to it. The 24-year-old will be calling the lineout tonight. Again, if he can oversee a smooth-running set-piece against formidable opponents in tough conditions, he could find himself back in the mix when November rolls around.
Murray will lean heavily on Ryan Baird in that department. The Leinster flanker is very much the leader of this young pack, with 27 Test caps to his name.
Baird really needs to kick on now. His talent or freakish athleticism has never been up for debate.
Consistency has been the issue. Too often, Baird has gone off the boil.
Now that O'Mahony has retired, the blindside spot is there for the taking. Baird hit a rich vein of form at the tail-end of the season. Indeed, if the 25-year-old had been playing like that a few months earlier, he would on tour with the Lions.
Baird has the capacity to be Rocky Elsom 2.0. He can lay down a marker against their hardy Georgian backrow.
And he haven't even mentioned Sam Prendergast yet. This will be a night for playing the percentages and keeping the pack on the front foot. Jack Crowley will be chomping at the bit to get involved from the bench.
Two quality player jostling for position. In truth, Ireland need that level of competition in all departments in the coming years. Farrell will welcome those selection headaches. He will be watching with interest from the southern hemisphere.