Alan Quinlan’s 2023 Rugby World Cup Winner Prediction

on September 4, 2023 at 1:01 pm

In this post you can find Alan Quinlan’s 2023 Rugby World Cup winner prediction as we get closer to the start of this year’s tournament.

The former Irish Rugby star and Munster legend has singled out two teams who he believes are better than the rest ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Are Ireland one of those teams? Find out below.

Quinlan also gave us his take on England’s terrible run of form, the chances of Andy Farrell quitting Ireland duties to coach his home country and the ridiculous nature of the Rugby World Cup draw.

It’s Between France And South Africa For Rugby World Cup

I would be really excited for this group of players. I am optimistic they can get to a semi-final. There will be bumps and bruises. You need a bit of luck especially round injuries, not least to Johnny Sexton.

If Ireland are fit and healthy after South Africa and Scotland I would be confident no matter who they are playing they would have a really good chance in a quarter final.

But I would be a fool to say Ireland are going to win the World Cup.

It’s between France and South Africa, with Ireland and New Zealand just behind them and it is a bit of a lottery after that. Argentina could rattle a few cages on that side of the draw.

I think South Africa will win.

I hope it’s Ireland but at the moment South Africa have so much strength in depth across the board.

England’s Form ‘Doesn’t Make Sense’

It started badly and has got worse and that can happen when you’re chasing and trying to get out of a rut. It is difficult, people lose confidence and become nervous.

They are a side lacking ideas, particularly around their attack.

The England team on paper have a lot of good players who have played on Lions tours. It doesn’t make sense.

There is something missing. Maybe they are trying to shake off the shackles of Eddie Jones. He got them to a point when they nearly won a World Cup in 2019.

There is similarity to the Ireland situation at the end of Joe Schmidt’s term as coach. They had so much focus on the way they played they struggled to adapt.

English Style Too Predictable

England need to find some attack in their game and some cohesion.

They kick the ball way too much.

Everything is preordained; they slow rucks down in the middle of the field to get set up for box-kicks.

It is very difficult to win games when you do that. They are trying to find a way out but seem to revert to type and they are in a really tough place. I am not sure how they are going to get out of it.

Andy Farrell To Quit Ireland For England?

I don’t think Andy Farrell would even consider going to England. He is so settled in Dublin, his son is at school there, he loves what he is doing with this group. Even if they have a bad World Cup, Andy Farrell is with Ireland for at least another couple of years. He has built up enough credit now. England may try but he won’t go and do that.

For anyone to take the England job it’s a big ask. You have got to assess what is wrong, the players, the club game, the RFU, the structures and find the optimism and enthusiasm to think that you can be a part of something. England have been a powerhouse for so long. They should be still. But they are not. Borthwick is under real pressure at the moment.

England’s Coaching Group Too Inexperienced

England have a very inexperienced coaching group. England are trying desperately hard but there is such a dysfunction in attack and also defensively they are very poor. Fiji sensed that vulnerability. They showed they are going to be a dangerous side at the World Cup.

England were awful. Defensively they were falling off a lot of tackles. They just don’t look like a team with any confidence. If the pressure comes on they panic and give away penalties.

Rugby World Cup Draw Is Ridiculous

It’s a bit ridiculous. You have the top five in the world on one side of the draw. It needs to be done much closer to the tournament, even with all the logistics involved, not two or three years out. It is wrong and should be done on seedings with the top six split up.

It’s a pity because out of the top four seeds the winner will emerge.