Advertisement
Matt Williams | Ireland won...

Sport

Matt Williams | Ireland won't win World Cup without same mindset from Twickenham win

98FM
98FM

08:46 20 Jun 2018


Share this article


On Monday night's show, Brian O'Driscoll expressed his belief that Ireland will get the job done in the summer tour to Australia by winning Game 3 in Sydney and sealing a series win.

Are former Ireland captain Keith Wood and ex-Leinster head coach Matt Williams as equally confident of a 2-1 series result?

They joined Joe on Wednesday Night Rugby as Game 3 arrives on the horizon and as the Champions Cup pools are confirmed for Leinster, Munster and Ulster.

Champions Cup Pools

POOL 1

Leinster, Wasps, Toulouse, Bath

POOL 2

Castres, Exeter Chiefs, Munster, Gloucester

POOL 3

Saracens, Glasgow Warriors, Lyon, Cardiff

POOL 4

Scarlets, Racing 92, Leicester Tigers, Ulster

POOL 5

Montpellier, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Toulon

Matt Williams | Ireland won't win World Cup without same mindset from Twickenham win

00:00:00 / 00:00:00

For Matt Williams, Leinster's draw is slightly easier for them compared to Munster and Ulster: "I just thought Leinster's group was the easier one. Munster and Ulster have a much tougher assignment in those pools." 

Thoughts then turned to Ireland and Australia's final clash and Williams feels this Irish side can go on and win a World Cup but only if they come with the same ruthless mindset that saw off England at Twickenham on St Patrick's Day.

"If they had that same mindset, and it's very hard every week to do this, but if they had that same mindset that they had at Twickenham, there's not many teams in the world that are going to stop them," he said.

"But if they had the same mindset that they had against Wales and they had against Australia in the second test, inferior teams like Australia and Wales will stay with them.

"My points is they've got so much more in them. This side can go out and win a World Cup but if they are tentative and don't expand on their game, they could also lose a World Cup."

He also added that if Ireland "don't play attacking rugby, they'll lose" in Sydney and against the All Blacks or other World Cup challengers in the 2019 World Cup.


Share this article


Read more about

Sport

You might like