Ireland v New Zealand

[TRF Mr Fish]

Yup, I know, but it's a Journalist job to report - as if they are not going to do it just because Steve Hanson asks them not to.

Oh I know, but the reason it's farcical is because of the media - regardless of whether they should be allowed to do it or not.

 

[Black Heart]

and if my aunty had a penis she'd be my uncle!

England had the upper hand that day, whether it was down to reffing, or Dan Coles being superman it doesn't matter!

Obviously it doesn't matter as far as the result of that particular game is concerned but that wasn't the point I was making.

And if your aunty had a penis I'd be more weary of how you decide to hug her at Christmas time.

I would rate New Zealands scrum in the top 5 but all i'm saying is that in my opinion I think the scrum is the weakest point in the All Blacks game I'm not saying the All Blacks have a bad scrum but every team has something there not so good at and I can't think of anything else other than the scrum. Like I said before what do you think is New Zealands weakness?

The main weakness atm ends with 'Donald'

I understand what you're getting at but my point is that if the officiating had been half decent, the scrum wouldn't be seen as any kind of weakness at all (regardless of the degree you would want to place it in) Hopefully this next test will prove more successful.

If they do start Andy Ellis, it clearly shows they don't rate Ireland very highly

What is this plodder still doing here? With Ellis on the field you can generally count the ball delivery time to Carter in minutes.

 

[munstermuffin]

Seen a pic there of Healy Best and Hayes as frontrow in training so well guess that is that.

 

[lynam1104]

Why what did he do well aginst Samoa. The front row should be 1.Healy 2. Cronin/Varley 3. Ross/Buckley

 

[Jer Mac]

Please god no... Healy probably needs the time even if he is petulant.. Hayes needs to be carted around the paddock at this stage and Best, dont get me started. Why not throw Cronin in there and get him ready for the world cup with varley as back-up.Because if Kidney thinks Best is our second best after Flannery then, help us all. Best and Hayes are finished.. If we loose and badly, kidney will be fodder if he goes with these two!

Its a small bit like Deja vu here im thinking, smells of O Sullivans reign where he couldnt see the wood from the trees. When you are within that bubble of international rugby, you cant see beyond the result and go with what you know which is foolish.

On the other side, the kiwis seem convinced SBW wont start which is good news for us. However Nonu is a human wrecking ball and can cause equal amounts of damage. still i would take him over SBW at this stage. Wouldnt it be fantastic if Carter was rested for Donald?

 

[munstermuffin]

Varley and Earls should be in the 22. Ross should be tested too but well exactly Jer it like déjà vu. We need to pick on form

 

[Jer Mac]

Varley appeared to be holding his shoulder abit last night.. I reckon he might struggle to make it MunsterM.. I reckon Kidneys thinking will be go for one dynamic hooker Cronin and one scrummager Best.. ITs unlikely he would go for the similar Varley and Cronin and considering Varley played in a highly confrontational game last night he may opt for Cronin, meaning your indication of Best starting would be accurate with Cronin on the bench.. And thats puke for you and me considering we'd have Varley at 2 with Cronin at 16! Best is obselete in the modern running game.

The question remains... How in gods name is Kidney not seeing what every half decent rugby fan is.... that Varley and Cronin are the future, Best may play well on Saturday but he is flakey in the lineout and will always be..

Same applies to Earls.. Irelands most potent attacking weapon.. He is our Hoea Gear, Johnny O Connor, Ashton..maybe not as good but still our best attacking back and hes sitting in Limerick thinking WTF.. Sure even after the game last night, he was saying how it was the best game he ever played in.. says it all!

Agreed on Ross.. and Court.. Hayes wont make the world cup.. blood someone and stick with them.. Court or Ross to TH.. simples!

 

[munstermuffin]

Varleys shoulder will be fine it was just a stinger and I've accepted they won't be in squad for Saturday I'm thinking on a regular basis. Sure if you ask me who got best deal out of week it is Earls, I'd rather have played well against Austrailia and win with a team that supports me and I've grown up in love with in front of family and childhood friends over getting a 5 min run for Ireland who have no atmosphere or happiness in a possible hammering by All Blacks. Earls will get a chance to beat All Blacks again but may never get a chance to repeat last night.

 

[lynam1104]

Were like the South African's were during the 3N club's playing well Ireland not... "sigh"

 

[Jer Mac]

Why is it happening, that irish teams cannot mimic the clubs, especially the Munster Model... Are the cultures of the clubs that far apart?

 

[munstermuffin]

Ireland priced fans out of it. Aren't playing well and haven't got a base of fans like provinces. Ticketing system (seperate to pricing) is all wrong. Team aren't been picked on form. And well the pride isn't there

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Varleys shoulder will be fine it was just a stinger and I've accepted they won't be in squad for Saturday I'm thinking on a regular basis. Sure if you ask me who got best deal out of week it is Earls, I'd rather have played well against Austrailia and win with a team that supports me and I've grown up in love with in front of family and childhood friends over getting a 5 min run for Ireland who have no atmosphere or happiness in a possible hammering by All Blacks. Earls will get a chance to beat All Blacks again but may never get a chance to repeat last night.

It's mad how 25kish in Thomond Park in the driving wind and rain put up more of a support than 50kish in the Aviva

 

[munstermuffin]

Olyy the answer is simple pride and well connection between fans and players is amazing. The weather was absolutely rotten last night and you'd understand if only 5k people came but they all came and the atmosphere was excellent even after game people stood and cheered in rain despite been numb with wetness.
You have large amounts here too that will follow Munster all over the World but won't follow Ireland across the road.

 

[smartcooky]

...Wouldnt it be fantastic if Carter was rested for Donald?

Please God, noooooo!

 

[markshaw]

Please God, noooooo!

hard out!

 

[Shaggy]

Oh I know, but the reason it's farcical is because of the media - regardless of whether they should be allowed to do it or not.

... If you say so, the fact that the AB management are persisting with the whole "release the team on Thursday", when it's clearly not working, makes it farcical in my book

Please God, noooooo!

Thankfully that's not likely to happen as the selectors seem to be using the reverse of the rotation policy ... Steve Hanson has said that Ritchie Macaw will start in all of the tests on tour, and I'm thinking that Dan Carter is probably going to do the same.

... unrelated, but Brad Thorn is the only injury concern, with a tight hamstring

 

[Darwin]

Brad Thorn is in doubt with a hamstring injury (http://tvnz.co.nz/all-blacks/thorn-s-50th-test-celebration-in-doubt-3902110).

Personally I wouldn't mind if they rested him if he has a slight injury, as he has started every All Black match this year so far (and played the full 80 mins in all but 3). It would be a good chance to test out how the locking combination would go if he was injured during the RWC. I'm not sure what combination they would use if he was injured - Boric is they player they seem to be groming for his role as tighthead lock, but I think they would more likely start Donnelly and Whitelock, with Boric on the bench.

 

[Larksea]

I'd like to see Boric start, he's the only one of the locks who hasn't been given a start recently. I think he's got a big game in him he just needs 80min to show his skills.

Boric & Donnely to start, whitelock on the bench

great combo

 

[yeelesy]

i back nz to win by 20 points plus

 

[Balms43]

I think ireland will step it up and there big game players will perform, they are a good team and have only lost there last 2 big games by a few points