# Talk of Irish rugby’s decline ‘nonsense’ – Sheehan

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/talk-of-irish-rugbys-decline-nonsense-sheehan/
- Published: 2026-11-05T17:28:30+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T20:09:03+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Sport (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c6p3gk32pwvwo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Sport

## Key points

- Sheehan says talk of Irish rugby’s decline is “nonsense”.
- Ireland have won six of eight Tests this year.
- He says the team must improve ahead of three home matches.

## Summary

Dan Sheehan has rejected claims that Irish rugby is in decline, calling them “nonsense” and saying he has full confidence in the squad. His comments come as Ireland prepare for three home Nations Championship matches, after recent heavy defeats raised doubts about their progress and coach Andy Farrell said they are not yet ready to target winning next year’s World Cup.

Ireland have won six of eight Tests this year, including victories over England and Scotland, but lost heavily to France and New Zealand and were not satisfied with their performance against Australia. Sheehan said the team must improve in several areas, particularly at set-piece, while backing their players and coaches. He expects a demanding opening match against Argentina, who are seeking their first away win over Ireland in 12 attempts.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.