Rugby World Cup 2015: The 44 reasons why this will be Ireland’s year

1. We've got Paulie! Wait, you want more? 2. It's in the northern hemisphere... Ireland's win over Australia in 2011 was their first over a Sanzar giant in the southern hemisphere since 1979, so we're probably better off up here. 3. ...so we won't be short of fans. London and Cardiff are a short hop for fans here, while the thousands of Irish living cross-channel are sure to get behind us. 4. Cian Healy has never been fresher After four months on the sidelines, we reckon Healy is gonna hit the tournament like a caged animal. 5. Joe Schmidt is saving all the good stuff Ireland kept their cards close to their chests in the warm-ups, but the man behind Ireland's best run since the dawn of professionalism has surely got some tricks up his sleeve. 6. England, Wales and Australia will be softened up by a gruelling pool One of those teams will miss out altogether, while Fiji will also be looking to take a scalp along the way. 7. The Springboks are practically geriatric From 38-year-old lock Victor Matfield to 32-year-old Bryan Habana, there's no way South Africa's Dad's Army can get through the six-week slog to World Cup glory. 8. Hosts England are sure to bottle it In contrast, 14 of England's squad are 25 or under, with the weight of a nation on their shoulders... and 9. ...their key man, George Ford, looks about 14 Lotta pressure, George. Lotta pressure. Mostly from... 10. The English media hype machine. Yep, they've no chance. 11. Wales won't have any players left They've already lost Halfpenny, Webb, and Walker, while several others are carrying injuries into the tournament. If we end up meeting them, by that stage they'll barely be able to field a fit XV. We've won six of nine internationals there while both of Munster's Heineken Cups, as well as Leinster first European title, were earned in Cardiff, site of our pool match against France and our potential quarter-final. Things didn't go so well there in 2007. Always thinking, is our Joe. While most other sides burned a squad place on a third No.9, Schmidt gambled on bringing an extra outside back. Sure Isaac Boss and Kieran Marmion are only a ferry away if we need them. Not sure how we keep doing it, but another World Cup without the inconvenience of a midweek clash for our boys. Beat France and we won't face New Zealand until the final. Of all the arguments listed here, this is the one I find most compelling. Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Waisake Naholo, Colin Slade. Adam Ashley-Cooper, Sekope Kepu and Will Genia. All already counting their euro. Beast. Double beast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVUHFFUvjKk Well they are. So good the English have been to combat them.   Why would you not bring along the man who wing Waisake Naholo of a broken leg in time for the tournament? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0LR0fmN3gM He's stronger for those two years at Racing. https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/643435279299289089 Whatever about the retirement of Paul O'Connell, it's only right that kitman Rala goes out on a high. Praise be to Nigel Owens. And no matter how many All Blacks you throw at us we're not changing our minds. The 2014 Irish Player of the Year didn't even make our squad. Twenty of this Irish squad have played in a European Cup final, with a total of 32 winners medals amongst them. Eleven of the 31 have been on at least one Lions tour, with eight of those appearing in a grand total of 28 Test matches. YES. We are. We perfected the tactic and we're still the best at it. Nobody does the furious grab of an opponent's jersey better. O'Driscoll has already tipped us to win the pool, so that's in the bag. Jared Payne and Nathan White just smell of success. Mike Myers, we see you. Jamie Cudmore and company, not so much. In case anyone forgot.