The New Zealand press this morning is understandably jammed with encomia for their own national team following the destruction of France.
But one columnist for the Sunday Star Times, Mark Reason has opted to look ahead to the 2019 World Cup, and examine the ways in which the tournament could be improved.
Reason himself is English and has written for the Sunday Times and the Daily Telegraph in the past. He is the son of former Daily Telegraph rugby writer, John Reason, the Stephen Jones of his day, a man whose opinions on the Irish rugby team annoyed the hell out of fans here.
While Reason has inherited his father's ability to wind up Ireland fans (and New Zealand fans, to be fair), he has nothing but praise for the Irish fans and is adamant that Ireland needs to be given the Rugby World Cup.
Can we please give the 2023 World Cup to Ireland. South Africa is under investigation for shonky dealings ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, France were hosts in 2007 and Italy is far from ready. Ireland has the stadiums and it has the world's best fans. It is time they were rewarded with a major tournament for all the colour and good humour that they have brought to sport over the years.
Hopefully, the decision makers find this persuasive...
Read more: PIC: This English Fan So Desperately Wants To Jump On The Irish Bandwagon
