EOYT: Ireland v South Africa, 11/10/2012

[bobbilycious]

Didn't realise that was Zebo's first cap. He looked pretty good, showed a bit of spark.

Ok game for the neutrals - there was a sense of inevitability that the buffer Ireland had at half time was never going to be enough to stop SA.

It wasn't actually his first cap. He played against NZ earlier this year. Don't listen to these NHers. They never know what they are talking about

 

[Tribesmen-ce-123]

It wasn't actually his first cap. He played against NZ earlier this year. Don't listen to these NHers. They never know what they are talking about

It was Zebo's second cap, but his first cap at fullback at any senior level, international and club. All things considered he had a very good game I thought, caught the few bombs he had to catch, his boot wasn't bad, and he showed his very impressive speed and eye for the gap today. He could do with passing more, but not much else was wrong. He's another fairly solid option at fullback in the future. Mike Mccarthy, the lone starting connacht starter on the team also had a very good performance, got through tons of work and carried excellently. Cant say too much about the other performance's, as a lot were good in the first half and hit and miss in the second.

 

[big ginger 8]

If anyone but McCarthy did someone of the stuff he did today they'd be talked up no end. That hit he put in on Etzebeth from a not great position shows just how powerful he is.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

If anyone but McCarthy did someone of the stuff he did today they'd be talked up no end. That hit he put in on Etzebeth from a not great position shows just how powerful he is.

That was hugely impressive IMO. Etzebeth hasn't really ever gone backwards before in this year even knocking Bismarck du Plessis semi unconcious earlier in the SR.

 

[Peat]

If anyone but McCarthy did someone of the stuff he did today they'd be talked up no end. That hit he put in on Etzebeth from a not great position shows just how powerful he is.

True dat yo.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

To think Etzebeth was still playing winger not too long ago until Andries Bekker's dad saw him and told him he was a lock LOL.

 

[McTallshort]

Yeah great tackle but......still lost at home to a weak bokke team. When will we in the NH start wanting to win these games and not just be competitive losers?

 

[Peat]

Yeah great tackle but......still lost at home to a weak bokke team. When will we in the NH start wanting to win these games and not just be competitive losers?

Judging from the general anger in this thread, now.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Yeah great tackle but......still lost at home to a weak bokke team. When will we in the NH start wanting to win these games and not just be competitive losers?

Wanted to argue but this issn't near our best tem or their best performance so fair enough.

 

[Tony Manx]

After the class shows put on by the Irish provinces in the H Cup over the last few years compared to the poor showing of the Irish team, there can only be one person to blame and that is Kidney.

Said it before and will say it again!!!

Any one who has picked ROG for the last two years for an international side is effing crackers (or called Stuart Barnes who seems ot have the hots for him!)...............and Kidney's bias toward Munster players no matter their state of health or form is horriendious......................................!!

I feel sorry for my irish mates as while he is in situ, you guys have little to no effing chance!!

 

[Tribesmen-ce-123]

After the class shows put on by the Irish provinces in the H Cup over the last few years compared to the poor showing of the Irish team, there can only be one person to blame and that is Kidney.

Said it before and will say it again!!!

Any one who has picked ROG for the last two years for an international side is effing crackers (or called Stuart Barnes who seems ot have the hots for him!)...............and Kidney's bias toward Munster players no matter their state of health or form is horriendious......................................!!

I feel sorry for my irish mates as while he is in situ, you guys have little to no effing chance!!

And has not blooded a single other young talented Irish fly-half (and there are plenty of them at the moment). Im counting down the months till Kidney is finally gone from the set-up. Still wont make up for the three years of mediocrity shown in performances in Irish shirts, but still a moment that cant come soon enough.

 

[Sker]

I know our discipline was up to all kinds of **** but Barnes really is a big tosser.

 

[big ginger 8]

Yeah great tackle but......still lost at home to a weak bokke team. When will we in the NH start wanting to win these games and not just be competitive losers?

A few years ago. Mentioned the tackle a few posts after saying we should have won. Also a weak Ireland team but one that should have one but was to uninventive and forgot to play for 20 minutes.

By weak I'm referring to them being weakened teams with players missing.

 

[Draggs]

Narrow but a win, day somewhat saved.

 

[Sker]

Draggs your signature is hypnotizing me!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Boks were bad , Ireland were worse. Keith Earls once again showed he is not a centre him and d'arcy struggled to make a tackle between them.

 

[Amiga500]

Not long back from the game. Had the birds eye view in the clouds. There was one thing that was breath-takingly apparent.

Connor Murray is shocking. Absolutely shocking.

1. He cannot provide quick ball.
2. He cannot accurately weight a pass all too often for an international scrum-half.
3. He frequently passes the ball the same direction out of a ruck (i.e. the side he is facing when approaching the ruck), without counting the numbers of defenders/attackers on that side of the ruck. A number of times, he passed the ball out to scenarios which were 2v5 and 2v4... in favour of South Africa.
4. His box kicks are something I would actually dock wages for. He kicks without motioning to the rest of the back line what the intention is, thus there cannot be an effective chase. He kicks too far, he kicks at the wrong times, he kicks to the wrong field positions.



Other tidbits:

- Great breakdown first half.
- McCarthy good.
- Forward pack seemed powder-puff in the second half.
- D'Arcy ineffective. Why not put McFadden into 12 instead of 11?
- Earls ineffective, one line break from broken field aside.
- The center combo does not work. Cave needs to be considered, as does McSharry and Hanrahan, because the current combination will simply not cut the mustard next week, next year or next world cup.

 

[coonor]

Right let's not get carried away. First of all the performance from Ireland was dogged and matched SA upfront for the most part. The breakdown was good, as was the scrum. Unfortunately we missed our carriers today.

The problem is within the backs. I don't understand where this miss pass is coming from. We saw it in the Wales game and Ireland wre doing it aswell. It you have an overlap, don't through a miss pass! Darcy and Earls don't work well together. Honestly think that had BOD been playing, we would have won that match. Bowe and Zebo were he only attacking threat, a lot of our play was very predictable.

We really need a scrum half of international quality. Murray was slow as usual, but Reddan came on and was even worse!

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Yeah great tackle but......still lost at home to a weak bokke team. When will we in the NH start wanting to win these games and not just be competitive losers?

Have to remember it was a very weak Ireland team too. Missing 2 Lions captains, another 2 Lions players, & 2 likely Lion test players in Best & O'Brien. Not to forgot a fullback with no experience in the position.

I don't want to make excuses though - well done SA.

 

[jcahill1]

Why can't we attack? Why do Ireland run out of ideas after 3 seconds of attacking the gainline?