Andy Farrell knows his Ireland side have a great chance to break their World Cup glass ceiling. Picture: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images
To paraphrase Mick McCarthy, Andy Farrell would have bitten your hand off for a scenario where his Ireland team had to beat Scotland and Argentina to reach a first World Cup semi-final, most likely against England.
That is what is on offer to Ireland at the 2027 World Cup if they get their business done in an eminently winnable pool by beating Scotland, a path to the final that doesn’t involve New Zealand, France or South Africa.