Rugby World Cup 2015: The 44 reasons why this will be Ireland’s year

1. We've got Paulie! Wait, you want more? 2. It's in the northern hemisphere... Ireland's win over Australia in 2011 was their first over a Sanzar giant in the southern hemisphere since 1979, so we're probably better off up here. 3. ...so we won't be short of fans. London and Cardiff are a short hop for fans here, while the thousands of Irish living cross-channel are sure to get behind us. 4. Cian Healy has never been fresher After four months on the sidelines, we reckon Healy is gonna hit the tournament like a caged animal. 5. Joe Schmidt is saving all the good stuff Ireland kept their cards close to their chests in the warm-ups, but the man behind Ireland's best run since the dawn of professionalism has surely got some tricks up his sleeve. 6. England, Wales and Australia will be softened up by a gruelling pool One of those teams will miss out altogether, while Fiji will also be looking to take a scalp along the way. 7. The Springboks are practically geriatric From 38-year-old lock Victor Matfield to 32-year-old Bryan Habana, there's no way South Africa's Dad's Army can get through the six-week slog to World Cup glory. 8. Hosts England are sure to bottle it In contrast, 14 of England's squad are 25 or under, with the weight of a nation on their shoulders... and 9. ...their key man, George Ford, looks about 14 Lotta pressure, George. Lotta pressure. Mostly from... 10. The English media hype machine. Yep, they've no chance. 11. Wales won't have any players left They've already lost Halfpenny, Webb, and Walker, while several others are carrying injuries into the tournament. If we end up meeting them, by that stage they'll barely be able to field a fit XV. 12. The Millennium Stadium is practically a second home for Ireland's players... We've won six of nine internationals there while both of Munster's Heineken Cups, as well as Leinster first European title, were earned in Cardiff, site of our pool match against France and our potential quarter-final. 13. ... while the All Blacks are haunted by Cardiff demons. Things didn't go so well there in 2007. 14. Everyone else wasted a spot on a third scrum-half Always thinking, is our Joe. While most other sides burned a squad place on a third No.9, Schmidt gambled on bringing an extra outside back. Sure Isaac Boss and Kieran Marmion are only a ferry away if we need them. 15. We don't have any midweek games Not sure how we keep doing it, but another World Cup without the inconvenience of a midweek clash for our boys. 16. We're on the right side of the draw Beat France and we won't face New Zealand until the final. 17. We haven't won it yet, sure we're due! Of all the arguments listed here, this is the one I find most compelling. 18. The All Blacks and Wallabies have one eye on their giant French pay cheques Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Waisake Naholo, Colin Slade. Adam Ashley-Cooper, Sekope Kepu and Will Genia. All already counting their euro. 19. Iain Henderson is going to run wild Beast. 20. Sean O'Brien can clear two men out of rucks Double beast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVUHFFUvjKk 21. Our rolling mauls are practically unstoppable Well they are. 22. We've got wicked GAA skills So good the English have been going to great lengths to combat them. 23. New Zealand left their Fijian medicine man behind Why would you not bring along the man who miraculously cured wing Waisake Naholo of a broken leg in time for the tournament? 24. We've beaten the Romanians at a World Cup before https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0LR0fmN3gM 25. The Kearneys have been drinking their milk 26. Johnny Sexton has already taken the best French rugby can throw at him He's stronger for those two years at Racing. 27. Conor McGregor is backing the boys https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/643435279299289089 28. Italy are all beard, no bite 29. They're going to do it for Rala Whatever about the retirement of Paul O'Connell, it's only right that kitman Rala goes out on a high. 30. Wayne Barnes isn't reffing any of our pool games Praise be to Nigel Owens. 31. Robbie Henshaw is a demon in defence 32. Murray and Sexton are the world's best half-back combo And no matter how many All Blacks you throw at us we're not changing our minds. 33. We have strength in depth The 2014 Irish Player of the Year didn't even make our squad. 34. No shortage of big-game experience Twenty of this Irish squad have played in a European Cup final, with a total of 32 winners medals amongst them. Eleven of the 31 have been on at least one Lions tour, with eight of those appearing in a grand total of 28 Test matches. 35. We're everyone's second favourite team YES. We are. 36. They haven't banned the choke tackle... yet We perfected the tactic and we're still the best at it. 37. Peter O'Mahony is a legend in the making Nobody does the furious grab of an opponent's jersey better. 38. We've got BOD's blessing O'Driscoll has already tipped us to win the pool, so that's in the bag. 39. We've imported some Kiwi know-how Jared Payne and Nathan White just smell of success. 40. Les Kiss is so enthusiastic he'll make you believe anything 41. Canada are best at producing lumberjacks and character comedians Mike Myers, we see you. Jamie Cudmore and company, not so much. 42. Video analyst Mervyn Murphy is Ireland's answer to Martin Scorsese 43. We're back-to-back Six Nations champions In case anyone forgot. 44. The Rugby World Cup 2015 is so crazy that it just might happen! MasterCard is turning the world oval for Rugby World Cup 2015. For your chance to win tickets to one of the matches please visit pricelessIreland.ie