Anyone who remembers the Ireland v New Zealand 2013 match will appreciate Ronan O'Gara's bold prediction following that game.
After Ireland's sensational victory over New Zealand in Chicago on Saturday, thoughts turned to 2013 and the heartbreaking 22-24 loss the Irish suffered to the All Blacks on home soil thanks to a last minute try from Ryan Crotty.
Immediately after that result it was hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel, such was the cruel nature of the defeat. But Ronan O'Gara did.
O'Gara knows a thing or two about coming through heartbreaking moments on the pitch. Perhaps the most famous was his last-minute miss in the Heineken Cup final of 2000, captured in the rather cruelly titled video below.
So there were few better placed than O'Gara to put into words the significance of Ireland's performance in losing three years ago. And ROG made a prediction (45 seconds into the video below) that seemed bold enough at the time (despite Ireland going so close) - but it doesn't look so daft now, somehow.
There'll be young boys and girls around the country and they'll be absolutely thrilled, I think. It has restored a pride, belief, respect - everything we've asked that was questioned about these players, about the rugby game in Ireland, and I'm very proud here tonight.
You have to admire the clutch mentality of the Kiwis to know that one ball goes on the ground and your twelve months of hard work is down the drain and they are the standards they set themselves.
But the next time we play them, we'll beat them. And I think that's progress.
ROG's bold prediction after Ireland v New Zealand 2013
Good man yourself, ROG.
(H/T: Reddit Rugby)
