It disappointed two of the Six Nations teams, Ireland and Wales, as they had to leave the Rugby World Cup, losing out to the All Blacks and Argentina.
The World #1 side, Ireland, faced an unexpected All Blacks team that fired in all divisions, and their quarterfinal curse continued as they surrendered to the All Blacks.
A similar fate came in Wales’ way as Argentina defeated the side, as their semifinal hopes in a Rugby World Cup continue.
The quarterfinals also meant that it was the end of the road for greats of the game, Johnny Sexton of Ireland and Dan Biggar of Wales. Sexton, an all-time legend of the game, was emotional after the full-time whistle against the All Blacks, hanging his boots at 38 years.
He’s achieved everything for Ireland except for the Rugby World Cup.
Similarly, it was bittersweet for Dan Biggar, the 33-year-old who played his last game for Wales.
Greater Things to Come for Wales
Dan Biggar, the retiring fly-half for Wales, believes that the journey ahead for Welsh Rugby will be incredible despite their World Cup exit.
While Biggar’s test career ends, he adds that the next few years will be one of the best for Wales as fans get ready with Six Nations Rugby tickets.
The last year was a rollercoaster for Wales, with players almost going on strike before the Six Nations game kicked off. The reason for this calamity was the financial issues about the national-level contracts. A lot was riding on the national body to resolve this issue, and the fans with Six Nations Rugby tickets were also with the players.
But, along with these challenges, Wales had a decent group stage run in the World Cup in France. Their biggest triumph will be the win against Australia, a staggering 40-6.
While Biggar expressed disappointment at their quarterfinal defeat, he emphasized the significant progress the team has made.
With Biggar’s retirement and Gareth Anscombe’s unavailability due to club commitments in Japan, Sam Costelow is likely to step into the number 10 jersey for the 2024 Six Nations.
For Costelow, it is a welcome pass into the big leagues with an opportunity to make his own reputation.
For next year’s Six Nations, for which fans are already queueing as Six Nations Rugby tickets are in demand, there are many prospects in the younger players according to Biggar.
Biggar sees considerable potential in the younger players, including squad co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, Exeter forwards Dafydd Jenkins and Christ Tshiunza, and Gloucester wing Louis Rees-Zammit. He believes they have the talent and capability to compete at the highest level.
Although Biggar has ended his international career, and there is some uncertainty regarding other potential international retirements and the future of head coach Warren Gatland, there is optimism for Wales’s progress in the coming years.
The following challenges on the horizon include the 2024 Six Nations and a fixture against the Barbarians scheduled for November 4.
Emotional Farewell for Sexton
A true legend of the game, Johnny Sexton heartbreakingly ended his rugby career as Ireland was knocked out of the Rugby World Cup in the quarterfinal by New Zealand.
Ireland’s quarterfinal curse continued with a narrow 28-24 defeat to the All Blacks in Paris.
The 2023 squad led by Andy Farrell aimed to make history by becoming the first Irish team to reach the World Cup semifinals. But things didn’t get Ireland’s way from the start.
Trailing most of the time at the Stade de France, the Irish could not orchestrate a comeback, leading to the All Blacks advancing to a semifinal clash with Argentina, who had defeated Wales.
This devastating defeat halted Ireland’s remarkable winning streak of 17 matches, marking the end of Johnny Sexton’s illustrious career. Sexton, who kicked seven points but missed a crucial penalty, was visibly distraught at full-time, feeling the agony of one last knockout defeat.
In the moments following Ireland’s defeat, Sexton was seen in an animated discussion with All Blacks center Rieko Ioane, displaying his emotions.
In another clip from ITV, Sexton received comfort from head coach Andy Farrell.
As Sexton brought out his son to the field, a camera featured saw him offering heartfelt words to his father.
The young boy was seen murmuring to his dad, “You’re still the best, dad,” in a touching moment that went viral.
Gutted to Lose
The 38-year-old Johnny Sexton described the defeat as “gutting” because it hinged on fine margins, including a try that Ronan Kelleher almost scored.
The try was held up by Jordie Barrett, and had it been scored, the game would have changed.
For Sexton, the final whistle reflected his long-standing career from 2009 to 2023.
Sexton stated that although the final result may not have been what he desired, this last campaign has left him with cherished memories.
“How can you be prouder to be Irish when you see what’s happened over the last six weeks, really?” said Sexton, referring to the tens of thousands of Irish fans who had transformed the Stade de France into a sea of green for two consecutive weekends.
“The last couple of years have definitely been, in a green jersey anyway, the most enjoyable of my career,” said Sexton. “Definitely.
“It’s an incredible place to be, and that’s what I’ll miss the most.” Sexton has always been a hard taskmaster, not least on himself, but his drive has yielded results.
He believes he leaves behind a squad that will flourish, although some are on the wrong side of 30, and his fellow veteran and “one of my best friends,” Keith Earls, is also retiring.
But for the majority of the squad, the future looks bright. With the Six Nations coming up as Ireland looks to defend its Grand Slam title, it will be exciting times for Irish rugby. It will be a season to look forward to for the fans who are regulars with Six Nations Rugby tickets, even without Sexton.
“These guys will go on and achieve great things, and I’ll be sitting in the stand having a pint like you lads,” said Sexton.
Coach Andy Farrell, known for his humor in their double act over the past four years, had the last say.
“(He’ll be) shouting at them,” he chipped in.
