[November Tests 2016 EOYT] Ireland vs. New Zealand (05/11/2016)

[ianw16]

Well done Ireland. Deserved it in the end, although when it got back to 4 I fancied NZ to go on and win. Combination of good defence and some sloppy play cost us in the end.

It does highlight the one area of concern I had for the ABs though, in terms of depth - locks. We can get by without 1 of Retallick and Whitelock, but both of them out is a worry. When Romano (who is a step down) also gets ruled out, we are in trouble. Not just lineouts, which were poor, but the whole go-forward of the team due to what they bring to the contact areas. In hindsight, maybe S. Barrett should have started - but it would have been a big call to put a debutante in.
Brodie should be back for Dublin, not sure about Sam.
Centres are both out - Crotty with a hammy, Moala with a busted arm. They'll have to call at least one more into the squad. No lack of depth there though, just lack of combinations.
Smith was poor, maybe he needed a toilet break! Moody needs to sort his s**t out, too. Not sure if I'd stick with Barrett for Dublin, or use him as an impact player. Dagg needs to start. They really need at least one of the locks back, though. That's where it cost them most.

 

[petite]

No way!! I missed this game!!! Damm it!!

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Have to say I thought we'd do it even 20 down

Very interested to see who the shipped over for midfield / lock

Something I've never really got showed it's head at the end, Taylor comes in to the back row and savea to the wing...why have two guys out of position ? Why not Coles on the wing, worst case you have one guy out of position..best case he plays to form and outshines the starting wingers

 

[smartcooky]

We were bloody awful in this match. It just goes to show, you cant go into a match with a flanker playing at lock, no matter how good you think you are.

With Ireland winning their first ever match against us in 111 years, it has been a truly historic day in Chicago, a city that has had another historic sporting event this week with the Cubs winning their first World Series for 108 years. To paraphrase the immortal words of Harry Caray

"Ireland wins! Ireland wins! Oh My God! Ireland wins!"

Now that the monkey is off their back, I don't think they will have to wait another 111 years for another one either, maybe not even a month.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Congratulations Ireland!, very well deserved and was clearly the better team today. Good Job!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

ABs definitely missed Retallick and Whitelock in the engine room and today exposed a lack of depth in this area. Was disappointed with Tuipulotu, who was fairly anonymous. Kaino is never a lock and should not play there again.

 

[bazwaz]

...remember the good old days when Cruden started at 10 and we never lost a game...
then for some reason that 100% winning record wasn't good enough...a good lesson to learn before the 2017 Lions tour all the same.. Cruden much more creative on attack - Barret one dimensional..

....our weakness in the centres today was also exposed....wingers were'nt up to their penetrating best either, but credit to the Irish defence they were awesome, they were awesome at the breakdown and their kicking game was brilliant..deserved winners..

 

[Bada-Bing!]

BB has had a very heavy workload this year. Expect him to be rested in the Italy game - Cruden to start and Sopoaga to cover 10 from the bench.

 

[profitius]

Monkey off the back is the main thing. Performance second. I thought they got the performance and tactics spot on.


What a day to remember for Joey Carbery. Makes his debut against the ABs and gets the win. He was cool as a cucumber too.


As for NZ, I was happy to see themselves enjoying Chicago so much during the week. Julian Savea was especially having a good time!

 

[TobesHodges]

Lol

 

[Makos]

Congratulations to Ireland, they really deserved the win. Really happy for their fans and them as a Union, they have worked hard for years for this victory and fully deserved it, even in 2013 they deserved it.

We can learn from this outing and it's a good experience and loss to suffer as a team it brings us back down to ground zero, which I think the team needed to experience and the fans.

In saying that, bring on Dublin and I'm expecting a huge bounce back and a good win!

 

[munstermuffin]

Wonder won Schmidt's stock rise further now back in his homeland.

 

[Adakins]

I was at the game, the crowd was amazing. My non rugby American friends absolutely loved their first rugby game. Everyone says you need to take your chances against the ABS and that exactly what Ireland did. We played like crappie and deserved to lose.

 

[GoTheNaki]

People are talking about Lions tour etc. But I swear I heard in the build up that he might've fluffed his lines... He said he's back in whatever month the Lions are here. June? The Ireland coach. That it will be nice to see family etc.

 

[Makos]

Isn't it amazing what 1 year can do. Last year the 4 Southern Hemisphere sides were the 4 finalists of the RWC, this year we have seen Australian thumped 3-0 by England and the All Blacks losing to Ireland. Amazing!

It's great to see rugby open up like this, the game is truly expanding.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Lads

 

[nzlizard]

Fantastic game by Ireland, so deserved to win after showing so much hunger.

 

[Brigantine]

Quite a few things to say about this match... (I watched it delayed)

1: I said a long time ago that if Ireland could get Soldier Field sold out, they deserved the upset win. And wow that crowd was amazing! Not just that it was packed, but the energy there, and damn that haka got a reaction. Seeing all that engagement and excitement in a place that barely has rugby literally had me in tears. (*before* the game, that is )

2: I absolutely do *not* see this game as a story of the All Blacks dropping their form. OK, we weren't great at the lineouts, but everything else I felt was consistent with how the AB's have performed all season relative to the pressure on them. Instead this game is a story about Ireland doing everything right - understanding their opponent, planning and executing - and the weaknesses that have been present in the All Blacks strategy all season being surgically exploited. (and a modest amount of luck for Ireland)

3: This game was just like Buenos Aires, but with the shoe on the other foot. Mega high intensity from both teams right from the 1st minute, one team gets 4 tries in the 1st half but then is spent by 50' - the other team significantly narrows - but can't close - the gap.

Everyone knows the All Blacks' way of doing all their damage in the last 30 minutes (which on recent analysis it actually a 50'-70' window, and to a lesser extent a 25'-HT window) when the opposition has been forced to run their tank empty but NZ still has something left. Argentina took us on at that game in Buenos Aires and won (won the fitness battle, but lost the war) , Ireland today still lost the fitness battle, but they put up a fight - kicking penalties into touch and good territorial kicking, keeps the pressure on - and reduced that 20 minute window to 15 (50' - 65', the AB's ran out of steam earlier than usual)

As for all the handling errors and conceding penalties - that's not out of character for the AB's, (at least this season) we saw that in Buenos Aires too, that's just the effect of sustained pressure. I think that's not so much poor form, as the symptom of a deeper sacrifice (involving muscle memory or mental focus or something) needed to make the All Black strategy happen.

4: People argue about Ireland's ability to change tactics depending on their opponent. Well they've proven it now.

5: Comparing these teams and Australia/England/Wales... Full credit to Ireland. I don't think Ireland could manage a repeat win (that half time score could just as easily have been 13 - 8 or 20 - 15, and I expect regression to the mean with their performance) but I do now fear them more than Australia, or even Argentina, and Australia have improved since the England tour. So I'd say:

1. New Zealand
2. Ireland
3. Argentina
4. Australia in November / South Africa
5. England
6. Australia in June
7. Wales / everyone else

Though that is only considering NZ's style of rugby.

6: It's horrible to say, but it might be a good thing that there were injuries in front of an American crowd. Rugby is a contact bloodsport, and if Americans like that, power to them. They'll never watch a soccer game with a straight face again!

7: Chicago is on a hat-trick for historical upsets. What next? Trump to carry Illinois?

8: Someone asked about rankings... well with the big margins in Japan - Argentina and Wales - Australia, Argentina moves up into 6th ahead of Wales in 7th, Ireland overtakes where Wales *was* yesterday in 5th, but 1.18 ranking points shy of South Africa - still too much to make up next weekend.

 

[FNS]

Great win for Ireland they deserve it. NZ found them self in scenario were they were trailing by a big margin and i think it was new territory took them by surprise. There`s not much analisis to be done this was the 1 in 10 scenario probably.

ps. Pumas are behind England, Australia and SA. Last 2 even in the current form have more depth and overall quality than us.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Congratulations to Ireland and all the Irish fans.
What a glorious result for Ireland and at long last 111 years of monkey is off your back and fully deserved especially after that miracle game in 2013, where my beloved AB's stole the victory that should never have been ours.
Ireland ARE a top side. They can lift themselves to great performances. They can beat anyone and they proved it at Soldiers Field.
Joe Schmidt. A new legend is born in Ireland. This victory will never be forgotten, the history books will not allow it. Long after we are dead and buried and our children have passed on and the living memory of this result is beyond humanity, the history books will still point to Soldiers Field and say, "We did it."
Tactically supreme by Schmidt. Courageously and skilfully executed by the proud players of the Emerald Isle.
All the glory and honour is yours.
Amen.