This time was supposed to be different. This Ireland team were different… are different. But, come the end, the result was the same. On quarter-final weekend, for the eighth time in 10 Rugby World Cups, Ireland head home defeated and the wait for a first-ever knockout win goes on.
You could feel the desperation around the Stade de France, awash with green thanks to the Irish fans doing their part, as Ireland went through phase after phase after phase after phase hunting the try that could overturn the 28-24 scoreline staring back at them from the giant screen.
