Brian O'Driscoll: Ireland will continue to be a "laughing stock" until they reach a RWC semifinal

Despite reaching the quarterfinals eight times out of ten attempts, they have yet to progress beyond the last-eight stage.

Since the start of the millennium, they have enjoyed plenty of success in the Six Nations and also picked up some outstanding results elsewhere, such as winning an away series against the All Blacks in 2022.

However, that has not translated into World Cup progression and O'Driscoll claims that it has become an "obsession" for Ireland.

"The ultimate goal is there, it is, but I don't know how much they're talking about it in camp in truth. But why would we not? Because we wouldn't be talking about it if we'd been to semi-finals and finals, we wouldn't be talking about it two years out," he told Off The Ball.

"We've an obsession because of our lacklustre performances in it over nine World Cups. We will be the laughing stock of world rugby until we get to a semi-final, and that's the reality and we've got to own that.

"I was part of that. We had a great chance in 2011, the chance we had in 2015 was huge against an Argentina team that were there for the taking.

"Okay we had four big injuries, blah, blah, blah. We were smashed in 2019, 2023 will haunt us forever because you get that and you're in a final – I truly believe we're in a final."

O'Driscoll's comments came after Andy Farrell named his squad for the upcoming Autumn Nations Series, where they will face the All Blacks, Japan, Wallabies and the Springboks.

There are once again few surprise selections as the head coach opts for the tried and tested, but it is a risk given the advancing age of the squad.

The World Cup may still be two years away, but many believe that Farrell should be bringing through younger players ahead of the tournament in 2027.

It all points to the 50-year-old placing his trust in those experienced internationals when the global showpiece comes around.

"I understand that Andy's experience of disappointment at Rugby World Cups as head coach is that experience [in 2023], and it's very different than the other World Cups. That was a cusp moment," O'Driscoll said.

"All of the process was good, we just didn't win a crucial moment that would have been the difference between a semi-final.

"If we do all of that again, maybe we put ourselves in a better position when we get there to get a more favourable result, because he doesn't have the baggage we all carry with us from the 80s, 90s and 00s."

O'Driscoll also believes that while the likes of South Africa and New Zealand are looking to build depth ahead of the 2027 World Cup, it is pretty much impossible for Ireland to do that.

"We are that nation, too, where we're not three or four players deep, we're never going to be. We've got four provincial teams, all four aren't ever competitive at the same time – or hardly ever," he added.

"We're not creating four world-class players in each position, we're just not."