[EOYT] Ireland vs New Zealand 24/11/13

[Conal]

seems unreasonable to drop marshall

 

[Icemn]

AB looked tired against England, mentally physically anything that end in ...lly is tired...

not sure how the weather is going to be, but Ireland might just sneak a win, if Ireland brings the intensity they can do it...

I know Read will play, the only AB that pitches these days... maybe Aaron smith and a little bit of ben smith...

I think Aaron only motivates the guys cuz he is gay and can then touch them regardless that moffie is the best HB in world rugby at the moment!

 

[Ospreylian]

AB looked tired against England, mentally physically anything that end in ...lly is tired...

not sure how the weather is going to be, but Ireland might just sneak a win, if Ireland brings the intensity they can do it...

To be fair, from what I watched of the game, it wasn't purely a case of the ABs being tired. England played a pretty sensible game and came from behind (which is incredibly hard to do against NZ) and ended up not being too far off from a win. So I think it was also a case of England putting in a really passionate and admirable performance.

And I'm sorry, but I just can't see Ireland winning. Aus beat them fairly comfortably and scored 4 tries, and that's a team that are going through the mill atm. Aus play like a northern hemi team most of the time at the moment tbh. With BOD and Sexton being injured now, I just can't see where Ireland's serious attacking threat is going to come from- and that is something you desperately need to beat NZ, you can't just rely on a solid defense (which Ireland don't seem to have either).

 

[BasqueBete]

O Driscoll , serious attacking threat ? Ha ha ha

 

[Big Ewis]

Yeah, not going to happen. I know we're all looking for that huge "separation", by that I mean when one team seems at a low point but still have a lot in them and in fact still hold their best game in months in their belly but no one knows, and the others looks high but carries a weakness we just don't see on the surface, and that match is the explosion of both aspects manifesting - clearly what we saw last year with the Blacks in Twickenham, wtvr the reason for their eerie form is.

I think Ireland will be Ireland and NZ, NZ. I don't think there will be a surprise here. Maybe the Irish can manage to hold NZ to a low score and challenge them frontally for a good portion of the game, but when it's all said and done people will look at the stats and see something like 4 tries scored, reached 35 and, like, a 25 point winning margin.
I hope that's not true, but it's the most likely scenario.

 

[Aspry]

ABs by 25+ and Savea to score a hat-trick

 

[donmcdazzle]

I think Aaron only motivates the guys cuz he is gay and can then touch them regardless that moffie is the best HB in world rugby at the moment!

What? He is definitely not gay, not that it really matters but that is an odd thing to say.

 

[lucky number 7]

We're likely going to be made **** of.

Transitional phase , bad season , and poor form mean that we're going to be made into Kieran Read's **** sock.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

All Blacks team announced. Pretty disappointed with it, to be honest.

 

[hjklhjkl]

All Blacks team announced. Pretty disappointed with it, to be honest.

Could you not have just posted the team, you wasted 15 seconds of my life you prick

ALL BLACKS: Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Ben Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (capt), Steven Luatua, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Charlie Faumuina, Andrew Hore, Wyatt Crockett. Reserves: Dane Coles, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Ryan Crotty.

Nice to see CJ back i expect a big game from him. Bit surprised TKB didn't get a start but pleased that TJP (hopefully) will make his debut off the bench. We should win as long as Crockett doesn't give away to many penalties :redcard:

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think that's a very good looking ABs pack. I know Crockett has a bad reputation but he went well enough vs England.
Then again a "disappointing" AB side is still stronger than most other sides in the world.



Looks like Luke Romano has been taking media lessons from Ben "Shane Who?" Cohen :lol: :

O'Connell continues to be the rock of their pack, but he might not enjoy hearing that Luke Romano didn't really know who he was.
"Good question. What one is he?" replied the All Black lock when asked how much he knew of O'Connell.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Could you not have just posted the team, you wasted 15 seconds of my life you prick

Nice to see CJ back i expect a big game from him. Bit surprised TKB didn't get a start but pleased that TJP (hopefully) will make his debut off the bench. We should win as long as Crockett doesn't give away to many penalties :redcard:

I was on my phone, would've wasted far more than 15 seconds of my life to post it

I think that's a very good looking ABs pack. I know Crockett has a bad reputation but he went well enough vs England.
Then again a "disappointing" AB side is still stronger than most other sides in the world.

Looks like Luke Romano has been taking media lessons from Ben "Shane Who?" Cohen :lol: :

Not disappointing in terms of strength, I merely mean that I would've preferred to see Saili and Kerr-Barlow starting, and Toomaga-Allen at least on the bench.

 

[nickdnz]

I'm ganna be annoyed if Perenara doesn't get some decent time, but generally pleased TKB isn't in the team. Would prefer Romano wasn't there as I never felt he has been especially effective. People said he was a good ball runner, but to be honest he rans far to high so just takes contact hard without making metres or busting tackles. The only thing he may really bring to the team is scrummaging ability, but I don't know he is any better than Retallick in this department while I'd rather see Bird on the bench.

 

[RWC2011Fan]

Had a dream last night, that this game ended 24-23 to Ireland...guess that's how I knew it was a dream.

 

[Big Ewis]

Had a dream last night, that this game ended 24-23 to Ireland...guess that's how I knew it was a dream.

man of little faith, don't you know the line between dream and reality is finer than............fine.....wine (?) ?!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 David Kearney, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Paul O'Connell (capt), 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.

Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Declan Fitzpatrick, 19 Mike McCarthy, 20 Kevin McLaughlin, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Luke Fitzgerald.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 David Kearney, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Paul O'Connell (capt), 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.

Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Declan Fitzpatrick, 19 Mike McCarthy, 20 Kevin McLaughlin, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Luke Fitzgerald.

a pretty strong squad

 

[Big Ewis]

Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 David Kearney, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Paul O'Connell (capt), 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.

Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Declan Fitzpatrick, 19 Mike McCarthy, 20 Kevin McLaughlin, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Luke Fitzgerald.

yup, looks fine. They can really stand up to the AB if they play their cards right..........and then quit playing cards and get on the field and play well.

 

[David Smith]

And I'm sorry, but I just can't see Ireland winning. Aus beat them fairly comfortably and scored 4 tries, and that's a team that are going through the mill atm. Aus play like a northern hemi team most of the time at the moment tbh. With BOD and Sexton being injured now, I just can't see where Ireland's serious attacking threat is going to come from- and that is something you desperately need to beat NZ, you can't just rely on a solid defense (which Ireland don't seem to have either).

Really far from the truth. Meckenize is know for his attacking rugby and we have scored plenty of tries over the last few games. What have you been watching???

 

[Conal]

yup, looks fine. They can really stand up to the AB if they play their cards right..........and then quit playing cards and get on the field and play well.

apart from the d'arcy selection im reasonably happy

however doubts of sextons fitness and madigans game management are also in my head