Ireland v New Zealand

[munstermuffin]

No this is absolute crap. Irish management act the tools delaying team announcement until Thursday to keep NZ guessing. (As if they care if it's Stringer/Reddan etc). They get shown up on Tuesday by Munsterbproving the form players (not just from Munster) aren't been picked. We have a problem with Morale and well it stuff like this that disheartens likes of Earls, O'Brien and Varley etc.
I suppose we will have M. Flatley leading us in riverdance to counter the Haka next. Although that'd be better than last time when we went hugging tackle bags.
Kidney has lost plot though Kearney should be out Fitz at 15 Earls in Reddan should be behind Boss as well as Stringer. Sean O'Brien needs to be tested. Cullen is fit for last few weeks so what is going on there. John Hayes won't impact off bench at all so we are screwed they're and I worried.
We have no scrum as always, Best can't throw a lineout which damages him in scrum as well as whatever he throws and we don't really have much options to lift that are natural jumpers. We have Reddan who can't pass and well Sexton in turn has no chance to move backline. I actually glad Munster don't have much in team.

Also will be interesting to see if Stringer keeps TOL out of Munster team on his current form.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Ireland: R Kearney, T Bowe, B O'Driscoll (capt), G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, R Best, T Court; D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll; S Ferris, D Wallace, J Heaslip.

Replacements: S Cronin, J Hayes, D Toner, D Leamy, P Stringer, R O'Gara, K Earls.

New Zealand: M Muliaina; C Jane, C Smith, M Nonu, H Gear; D Carter, A Ellis; T Woodcock, H Elliott, O Franks; A Boric, T Donnelly; J Kaino, R McCaw (capt), K Read.

Replacements: A Hore, J Afoa, S Whitelock, L Messam, A Mathewson, S Donald, S B Williams.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Best, O'Callaghan, Wallace, Reddan and possibly Kearney shouldn't be in the Ireland team. Hayes should be nowhere near the squad. Damien Varley, Leo Cullen and Sean O'Brien aren't even in the 22 yet they should perhaps be starting. Mike Ross is being poorly treated - how is a strong scrummaging tighthead prop not considered superior to a guy who's old enough to be my grandfather?

New Zealand by 25-30 having seen the Ireland team.

 

[Jockstap]

Tom court at tighthead, Ireland by 20+.

 

[munstermuffin]

Snoop think Earls should be on that list too and it no possibly Kearney it Kearney for sure. Agree with Ross as in this is our last real big game to test players because we need 6 nation to build momentum. The warm up games will be Mickey mouse and well we need to test Ross, Varley etc now

 

[coonor]

15)R Kearney- Not playing well for Ireland. Needs to be shown he has to earns his shirt. Fitzgerald should be 15
14)T Bowe- Correct
13)B O'Driscoll (capt)- Correct
12)G D'Arcy- We need his usual solid defence Correct
11)L Fitzgerald- He should be at 15 and Earls at 11
10)J Sexton- Correct
9)E Reddan- Shouldn't even be on the bench Stringer instead
8)J Heaslip- Correct
7)D Wallace- Correct but I wouldn't have played him against SA
6)S Ferris- Correct
5)M O'Driscoll- Toner instead
4)D O'Callaghan- Cullen Instead
3)T Court- Correct
2)R Best- Should be nowhere near the squad Cronin instead
1)C Healy- Correct

Replacements
S Cronin- should be starting with Varley on the bench
J Hayes- Are you serious Ross instead
D Toner- would prefer him to start and O'Callaghan on the bench and O'driscoll out the squad
D Leamy- Correct
P Stringer- Should be starting with Boss on the bench
R O'Gara- Correct
K Earls- should be starting with Kearney on the bench

 

[munstermuffin]

Coonor except for 1/2 decision I agree with you. But well we falling back in to this trap of stubborness and won't change because we want to prove people wrong attitude. And well we barely avoided disaster after last world cup but this time the risks areuch higher and will hurt us more

 

[coonor]

It seems that the Irish Management is stuck in this bubble where they are oblivious to what the majority of people think. We should be picking players that are on form and who would add the most to the team. What does Hayes add? nothing. Ireland are showing that people don't have to being playing well to get into the team they just have to have played well years ago. If it will change the way Kidney selects his teams than I hope we get destroyed by NZ. If I were to ask Kidney what ability does Hayes now bring to Ireland that keeps him ahead of Ross and for that matter Hagan? how would he justify an answer except that he adds experience? Has he not watched Ireland or any or the provinces play? you can clearly see that in every match the prop that replaces Hayes does a 100% better job than he has done. Reddan a dreadful game against SA and I think he is better than that but he makes bad decisions and is unaware to whats going on around him. Plus there other SH that deserve their place and are better than reddan. Every time best plays hooker for Ireland he fails to do well in the lineout. Against Scotland he was a main reason why we lost the same can be said about when we lost to SA. Cronins throw is imprving and his is a top open play hooker. I underated Varley but he is a great thrower and he has good ball skills.

 

[Larksea]

Boric finally gets a start as thorn's leg is a bit tight, so that's one of my selections come through!

All I need now is for Andy Elis to get struck by lightning and I'll have my ideal 22 >.<

 

[Darwin]

Brad Thorn is ruled out with a hamstring strain - Boric is promoted to the starting lineup, with Sam Whitelock now on the bench (as can be seen from the updated team the Cymro posted). It's a big chance for Boric to show what he's go at this level. I actually rate him quite highly as he generally does the basics well, and he is quite a powerful ball runner.

A strong looking NZ lineup. Glad to see Elliot get another start, though I do suspect that Hore will get at least 30 mins this week off the bench. Ellis will be under pressure to perform, as he's never really looked comfortable at test level. Ellis is certainly better suited to starting, than to being an impact from the bench, but I hope Mathewson gets plenty of gametime from the bench, as he's looked good this tour when he has been given a chance. I was interested to see SBW on the bench rather than Toeava - clearly they are comfortable with Nonu's (or SBW's) ability to play on the wing at test level if required.

Overall I'm expecting Ireland to come out firing, but in the end I expect a (relatively) comfortable win by the AB's, by 15-20 points.

 

[Dizzy]

NZ by 20+

 

[Peat]

Laughing at Ireland's team takes the edge off bracing myself for Bahanasmash(back) at 13 for England.

This could be ugly.

Whats more, Kidney could have at least released Wallace and Trimble to Ulster!

 

[smartcooky]

I am not so convinced that this is going to be a walkover for the AB's

Ireland were pretty good against South Africa, only a "poster" away from a draw, and while they were less than impressive against Samoa, that was very much a second string side.

They will miss Tony Buckley and the fiery Paul O'Connell, the second man being a difficult one to replace

On the All Black side, SBW is on the bench and Nonu, starting at 12, becomes a sort of "on-field substitute". There is a real prospect that one of the wingers could be subbed off for SBW, and Nonu would then move to the wing, so part of the game could be played with SBW, Conrad Smith and Nonu together in the backline. Who would want to defend against that!!?

My pick... All Blacks by 12

 

[Shaggy]

I am not so convinced that this is going to be a walkover for the AB's

Ireland were pretty good against South Africa, only a "poster" away from a draw, and while they were less than impressive against Samoa, that was very much a second string side.

They will miss Tony Buckley and the fiery Paul O'Connell, the second man being a difficult one to replace

On the All Black side, SBW is on the bench and Nonu, starting at 12, becomes a sort of "on-field substitute". There is a real prospect that one of the wingers could be subbed off for SBW, and Nonu would then move to the wing, so part of the game could be played with SBW, Conrad Smith and Nonu together in the backline. Who would want to defend against that!!?

My pick... All Blacks by 12

The AB's are a bit light on test experience in the forwards as well, with Elliot being there out of necessity, and Boric in for the injured Thorn ... i'll be interested to see how they go, particular in the set piece.

 

[Larksea]

I obviously rate Boric

interestingly just saw a long slideshow from the scotish game on the herald. check it out and notice how many of the shots of players in tackle ball situations and the guy right there behind them ready to be the first to hit the ruck or support the guy with the ball is Boric.

 

[smartcooky]

I obviously rate Boric

interestingly just saw a long slideshow from the scotish game on the herald. check it out and notice how many of the shots of players in tackle ball situations and the guy right there behind them ready to be the first to hit the ruck or support the guy with the ball is Boric.

Yep, I rate Boric as well. He has been an AB since 2008 and has played 18 tests. In the pre-professional era, that would almost have made him a veteran!!

 

[nickdnz]

Boric is average. He's not bad, he just has no part of his game that he excells in. Good person to have in you S14 side when there is on one better.

Looking forward to seeing Hosea Gear verse Tommy Bowe. I expect Cory Jane to get the better of Fitzgerald. If Nonu came on, I wouldn't like him to replace Gear on the wing.

 

[Larksea]

Yep, I rate Boric as well. He has been an AB since 2008 and has played 18 tests. In the pre-professional era, that would almost have made him a veteran!!

heh, interesting thing is of his 18 tests he's only ever lost 1 test match. Not a bad record either.

 

[smartcooky]

Boric is average. He's not bad, he just has no part of his game that he excells in. Good person to have in you S14 side when there is on one better.

Looking forward to seeing Hosea Gear verse Tommy Bowe. I expect Cory Jane to get the better of Fitzgerald. If Nonu came on, I wouldn't like him to replace Gear on the wing.

Nonu is unlikely to come on. He's in the starting 15

 

[Nate Dizzle]

Prediction: Ireland will get beat by 28+ in perfect conditions, 10+ in horrid conditions. ABs have too much firepower and that old fella is still playing something O'Driscoll... isn't he. He'll get schooled by Smith, you watch, leaving no option but for Williams to either warm the bench until world cup or take the 12 jersey off Nonu which may or may not happen.