'Crouch, touch, pause and set". To those who know, no explanation is needed. TV viewers who don't recognise the words – the referee's order to 16 rugby players to form a scrum – will, over the next six weeks, find out what they mean, as 20 national teams contest for the Rugby World Cup. As ever, the contest will combine sporting drama with theatrical spectacle; including ritual war dances performed by the New Zealand All Blacks and Tonga before their games. Bagpipes, however, have been outlawed, to the great annoyance of the Scots, and the relief of most spectators.
The games, undoubtedly, will generate endless post-match comment and controversy. In 1995, the All Blacks fell victim to food poisoning in South Africa, and blamed it for their surprise defeat to South Africa in the final. In 2007, whether a refereeing error ultimately cost the All Blacks the title, is still hotly debated. New Zealand, defending champions, remain the team to beat in 2015.
No Irish rugby squad has been better prepared in its quest for the sport's holy grail, the Rugby World Cup. Today the team in its opening match against Canada faces modest opposition. But so far Ireland has never seriously challenged for the trophy: high expectations set for the team – to advance beyond the pool stages – have been dashed by inconsistent match day performances. Hopefully, this time may be different.
Ireland has won 18 of its last 24 international matches, a 75 per cent rate of success facilitated by the remarkable efforts of Joe Schmidt, a New Zealand born coach and now an Irish citizen. He has assembled a talented squad, established a strong bond of trust between coach and team members, and set demanding standards for the players. Success in the competition – however measured – matters. A good performance will not just raise national morale, it will also bolster Ireland's bid to stage the Rugby World Cup, the third largest sporting tournament in the world, in 2023. That comes with a glittering prize worth some €1 billion to the domestic economy.