We’ve got our crystal balls out.
We have already made our Ireland prediction for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, so we move on to the 2031 tournament in the USA.
With the competition over six years away, and so much talent to choose from, it will be interesting to see how many, if any, we get right.
Prop
Leinster’s Paddy McCarthy was awesome at U20s level back in 2023, and, like his brother Joe, is super aggressive in the tackle and at the breakdown.
While he has yet to stand out at URC level, he has plenty of time to add size to his relatively small frame.
Jack Boyle is probably the more likely choice, given that he is just a year younger than his Leinster colleague and has already broken into the Ireland 23, while Alex Usanov will also have a say.
We have not seen much of Niall Smyth, but Bernard Jackman’s assessment that ‘he is special… he is the next Tadhg Furlong’, is good enough for us.
And despite not having played a competitive game for Leinster yet, they have already given him a pro contract at just 19 years of age.
Andrew Porter will be 35 in 2031 and will fancy his chances, while Ulster’s Scott Wilson will hopefully be in contention as well.
Hooker
This was a toss up between Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher, who will both be 33, and Gus McCarthy, who will be 28.
If Sheehan is anywhere near his current best, then he will likely be starting in his third World Cup.
Lock
Joe McCarthy will be just 30 by the time 2031 rocks around, and therefore is as safe a bet as you will have when trying to predict over six years into the future.
Edwin Edogbo has not played a game for Munster since 2023, but we are still holding out hope for a player who looked like a man among boys when playing URC rugby at just 19.
All things going well, there should be plenty of competition with Ryan Baird, Corman Izuchuckwu, Tom Ahern, Diarmuid Mangan, Alan Spicer, and Evan O’Connell.
Back row
These positions are anyone’s guess.
While Caelan Doris will be 33, number eights can often last quite long at the top, as we have seen with the likes of Jamie Heaslip, Kieran Read, and Duane Vermeulen.
Tom Ahern, if he can get his foot in the door with Ireland, will be hard to shake off.
Ruadhán Quinn has yet to break into the Munster 23, but is a big man for an openside flanker, and has shown flashes of his power.
His Munster teammate, Brian Gleeson, should be close as well.
Half-back
Yes there are talents such as Ben Murphy, Matthew Devine, and Fintan Gunne on the rise, but there is nothing to suggest that, at 32, Craig Casey won’t still be in a prime which he has yet to hit.
By the time of the 2031 World Cup, we will be in our eighth year of Sam Prendergast vs Jack Crowley battle, with both still only 28 and 31, respectively.
Centre
In Jamie Osborne and Hugh Gavin, Ireland have two of the best centres in world rugby under the age of 24.
Since Brian O’Driscoll and Rob Henderson partnered up in the centre back in 2000, Ireland have been blessed with a top-class midfield for 25 years, and this does not look to be slowing down anytime soon.
Cathal Forde and Jude Postlethwaite will have a say also, while a Prendergast-Crowley axis has potential.
Back three
Mack Hansen is the clear favourite on the right wing, despite the fact that he will be 33.
It was a close race between Connacht men Shayne Bolton and Finn Treacy for the left wing, while Diarmuid Kilgallen should be there or thereabouts, if he can sort out his injury issues.
If he fancies staying with Munster for another six years, Thaakir Abrahams will become an option at both wing and fullback. The South African would become Irish-qualified in 2029.
At 35, Hugo Keenan will probably be out of contention, while Ben O’Connor is one of the top prospects in the country.
Osborne has played most of his rugby for Ireland at 15 and would be the favourite of many to start.
Ireland 23 for the Rugby World Cup 2031:
- Paddy McCarthy (28)
- Dan Sheehan (33)
- Niall Smyth (26)
- Edwin Edogbo (28)
- Joe McCarthy (30)
- Tom Ahern (31)
- Ruadhán Quinn (28)
- Caelan Doris (33)
- Craig Casey (32)
- Sam Prendergast (28)
- Shayne Bolton (31)
- Jamie Osborne (30)
- Hugh Gavin (27)
- Mack Hansen (33)
- Ben O’Connor (27)
Replacements: Jack Boyle (29), Gus McCarthy (28), Andrew Porter (35), Cormac Izuchukwu (31), Ryan Baird (32), Brian Gleeson (27), Matthew Devine (29), Jack Crowley (31).
