[RWC2019][Quarter-Final 2] New Zealand vs. Ireland (19/10/2019)

[Cooper]

Going to take a stab at the team, see how close I am to Steve's thinking!

1.Joe Moody
2.Dane Coles
3.Laulala
4.Whitelock
5. Brodie
6.Ardie
7.Cane
8.Read
9.A.Smith
10.Mo'unga
11.Bridge
12.Crotty
13.ALB
14.Reece
15.B.Barrett

16.Taylor
17.Tuungafasi
18.Ta'avao
19.Tuipulotu
20.S.Barrett
21.TJ
22.SBW
23.B.Smith

I think Crotty start for sure, Mo'Unga and Crotty combination is great and ALB is nailed for sure.

Only selection I'm unsure about is who gets the backrow bench spot.

Tuipolotu/Frizell or Todd - I think it could be a good idea to go Tuipolotu for form and tactical reasons and Barrett can cover lock and 6. We gain so much more having both those available. -I have doubts he will go with this though, because it might mess up our offensive pattern with Ardie at open side instead of blindside?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

If Camp NZ are insulted by a team that's beaten them twice in the last three thinking they can win I'd be worried as a fan, it stinks of underestimating us.

I doubt that's the case though, we were bad in the year leading up to the Chicago game and far worse than bad leading up to the 2013 game and you can add to that that this QF has been Ireland's primary focus since the final whistle blew in Lansdowne road last November, Hansen knows all of this.

There's a chance we'll fall flat, I'm terrified we will but trying to take emotion and nerves out of it I think a tight game is more likely.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

to clarify my level on nerves...i'll be watching at home, alone, with a couple of beer just so i dont have to run into any gloating aussies IF we loose

 

[Cooper]

I'll be watching the game with Irish and English friends, win or lose it will be great craic!! Just a game fellas!

 

[Cooper]

Trying to wrap my head around what happened vs South Africa with the subs.

-At half time Cane came off for Tuipolotu - so that meant S.Barrett to blindside and Ardie to openside
-Later on Frizell came on for S.Barrett from memory

the more I look at it, S.Barrett and Tuipolotu getting the bench spots looks likely

 

[Leinster Fan]

AB's were NO1 for a decade and I never once saw a kiwi fan mocking a country for being no2.

Really? Cause the rest of us saw it constantly.

As much as you want to disown them, they are still Irish journalists

And? They're still idiots. Are all Irish people somehow accountable for everything an Irish person says?

 

[james5000]

If Camp NZ are insulted by a team that's beaten them twice in the last three thinking they can win I'd be worried as a fan, it stinks of underestimating us.

I doubt that's the case though, we were bad in the year leading up to the Chicago game and far worse than bad leading up to the 2013 game and you can add to that that this QF has been Ireland's primary focus since the final whistle blew in Lansdowne road last November, Hansen knows all of this.

There's a chance we'll fall flat, I'm terrified we will but trying to take emotion and nerves out of it I think a tight game is more likely.

I didn't say anything about what the Irish team think tbf, hopefully they think they can win. Hopefully they think its in the bag.

If you think you are the best team in the world, and you have all this noise doubting you. Wouldn't you want to prove them wrong?

The losing the 2 of the last 3 would be very hard to swallow especially after they had 100 years of dominance. A record they were surely proud of.

Fuel to the fire.

Did the Irish really expect to be playing the AB's in a QF? Is that because they thought the AB's would come 2nd in the pool and were easy beats?

Really? Cause the rest of us saw it constantly.

And? They're still idiots. Are all Irish people somehow accountable for everything an Irish person says?

What did the rest of you see constantly? Being 2nd is hardly embarrasing? Especially not to the AB's?

It's an Irishman trying to wind up the Kiwi's, you don't need to be accountable. He is still Irish though.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I didn't say anything about what the Irish team think tbf, hopefully they think they can win.

Yeah, they know they can.

Hopefully they think its in the bag.

They obviously don't.

If you think you are the best team in the world, and you have all this noise doubting you. Wouldn't you want to prove them wrong?

Doubt they'd be playing in the world cup if they didn't want to be the best team in the world. Everything else is a bit external and a waste of energy innit? Doesn't that exact thing apply to Ireland too? Last time either side won any silverware was 2018, Ireland's form is worse but you can bet the team named tomorrow think they're the best team in the world.

The losing the 2 of the last 3 would be very hard to swallow especially after they had 100 years of dominance. A record they were surely proud of.

Yeah sure, not too relevant to what I said.

Did the Irish really expect to be playing the AB's in a QF? Is that because they thought the AB's would come 2nd in the pool and were easy beats?

.
Again, obviously not, don't know why your trying to infer massive slights against NZ in to everything that doesn't massively praise the New Zealand rugby team. Or else you're taking this far too literally, Ireland preparing solely for SA would have been mental wouldn't it? Look what happened, and that was less likely than NZ finishing second in their group!

So just to clarify, Ireland know they can beat New Zealand, they did it less than a year ago... This isn't a slight against New Zealand, the firm and well acknowledged favourites, if all of them "American International Group All Blacks" took it as a slight, my opinion would be that they're in a less than stellar mindset heading into a big game, if they don't and play their best stuff they'll probably win. And finally yes, you may take me poking fun at the weird branding of an international team as a slight if you really want to!

 

[40/20]

Trying to wrap my head around what happened vs South Africa with the subs.

-At half time Cane came off for Tuipolotu - so that meant S.Barrett to blindside and Ardie to openside
-Later on Frizell came on for S.Barrett from memory

the more I look at it, S.Barrett and Tuipolotu getting the bench spots looks likely

Hoping to see Todd alongside Barrett which would suggest a very open game plan but the weather forecast may kill that idea. Even if the rain clears as expected it'll still be very greasy unless that ground drains exceptionally well.

Retallick's lack of gametime means he'll very likely need a spell and Barrett has arguably been our form lock all season so surely his role will be as specialist lock cover.

I'm picking a straight toss up between Frizell and Todd on the bench. With whoever they go with being a good pointer to how they plan to handle the conditions.

 

[james5000]

Yeah, they know they can.



They obviously don't.



Doubt they'd be playing in the world cup if they didn't want to be the best team in the world. Everything else is a bit external and a waste of energy innit? Doesn't that exact thing apply to Ireland too? Last time either side won any silverware was 2018, Ireland's form is worse but you can bet the team named tomorrow think they're the best team in the world.

Yeah sure, not too relevant to what I said.


.
Again, obviously not, don't know why your trying to infer massive slights against NZ in to everything that doesn't massively praise the New Zealand rugby team. Or else you're taking this far too literally, Ireland preparing solely for SA would have been mental wouldn't it? Look what happened, and that was less likely than NZ finishing second in their group!

So just to clarify, Ireland know they can beat New Zealand, they did it less than a year ago... This isn't a slight against New Zealand, the firm and well acknowledged favourites, if all of them "American International Group All Blacks" took it as a slight, my opinion would be that they're in a less than stellar mindset heading into a big game, if they don't and play their best stuff they'll probably win. And finally yes, you may take me poking fun at the weird branding of an international team as a slight if you really want to!

Do Ireland really believe they are the best team in the World? They might believe they can beat anyone on their day LOL but surely they don't think they are the best team in the World?

FFS they just lost to Japan and were pumped by 50 against the Poms

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Do Ireland really believe they are the best team in the World? They might believe they can beat anyone on their day LOL but surely they don't think they are the best team in the World?

FFS they just lost to Japan and were pumped by 50 against the Poms

And Australia pumped NZ and that was an actual test match unlike Eng v Ire... Last world cup no one would have batted an eye if SA said they still think they're the best and can win the world cup after losing to Japan but because it's Ireland it's different even though SA weren't as successful between 2012 and 2015 as Ireland were between 2016 and 2019. It's absolutely the mindset you would expect a team to have in a world cup to be in like.

Anyway, I'm fairly sure your either hunting for a rise or so blinkered that you can't fathom a team other than NZ thinking they're good, either way it's not worth continuing this further.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

the only real metric we have, as flawed as it is, is the World Ranking...Wales and Ireland have both been #1 within the last couple of months....i dont think its completely out of the questions for either team to think they were as good as anyone else...add to those RSA and England who are often in the mix for #1 and have beaten some of those other teams this year....i dont have a problem with any of those teams claiming to be as good as any of the other

Its definitely not as clear cut as it has been in the past with NZ significantly out the front in the rankings and on 18 match unbeaten runs

 

[mania]

And Australia pumped NZ and that was an actual test match

exactly. ABs had no answer for the WBs that day.

not every kiwi is taking Ireland casually. i definitely hope (and I'm 99% sure) that the ABs arent casual and taking the Irish very very seriously.
this wll be epic and exactly the kind of game i want the ABs to have. win or lose it will help the ABs grow.
Ireland can take this. if they make all their first up tackles, strangle the game and keep the scoreboard ticking over it could be a long flight back to NZ.
you cant have a great game unless you play a great team.

 

[OneBlackEye]

Getting feisty in here already!

This could absolutely go either way as far as I'm concerned, that's why it so exciting! I can't believe anyone thinks otherwise.

History can prove whatever you want it to, Ireland have the better recent record against NZ but then I can't imagine the ABs losing to Japan. Even this Japan. No disrespect to them, they've earned everything they've got but I feel like the wheels are going to fall off for them this weekend. Either way it's all meaningless now.

I'm not sure the point of getting upset about who is number 1 two weeks out from a world cup final either, we are about to find out!

 

[Zapphod]

to clarify my level on nerves...i'll be watching at home, alone, with a couple of beer just so i dont have to run into any gloating aussies IF we loose

Hehe, I am lucky in that I won't be watching it at all, the wife has a work function on and when the choice is free beer and food or rugby... well let's just say I am not the rugby fanatic I was a decade ago.

 

[donmcdazzle]

ABs team named.


All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienert-Brown, George Bridge, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read (c), Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody.

Reserves: Dane Coles, Ofa Tuungafasi, Angus Ta'avao, Scott Barrett, Matt Todd, TJ Perenara, Sonny Bill Williams, Jordie Barrett.

Definitely worried now with Goodhue starting at 13. Of all the midfield combinations we have, I think that is the worst.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

ABs team named.


All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienert-Brown, George Bridge, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read (c), Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody.

Reserves: Dane Coles, Ofa Tuungafasi, Angus Ta'avao, Scott Barrett, Matt Todd, TJ Perenara, Sonny Bill Williams, Jordie Barrett.

Definitely worried now with Goodhue starting at 13. Of all the midfield combinations we have, I think that is the worst.

Gutted for Ben Smith

 

[40/20]

ABs team named.


All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienert-Brown, George Bridge, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read (c), Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody.

Reserves: Dane Coles, Ofa Tuungafasi, Angus Ta'avao, Scott Barrett, Matt Todd, TJ Perenara, Sonny Bill Williams, Jordie Barrett.

Definitely worried now with Goodhue starting at 13. Of all the midfield combinations we have, I think that is the worst.

I dont mind it. Would've preferred Crotty alongside ALB, but Goodhue is a talent.

More worried about Jordie Barrett over Ben Smith.

 

[donmcdazzle]

I dont mind it. Would've preferred Crotty alongside ALB, but Goodhue is a talent.

More worried about Jordie Barrett over Ben Smith.

Goodhue better do his best Conrad Smith impersonation... Pretty bold selections when you think back even 18 months ago, seeing this team as our AB quarter final backline would have shocked me.

 

[40/20]

Goodhue better do his best Conrad Smith impersonation... Pretty bold selections when you think back even 18 months ago, seeing this team as our AB quarter final backline would have shocked me.

Likewise. But for me the biggest change in the last 12 months have been out wide. Smith and Ioane were lock-in starters this time last year. Now neither of them can even make the 23.

This backline oozes potential but is almost frighteningly light in experience and we all know how important that is in big games.

As I said, I dont mind Goodhue getting his spot but its a massive, massive call leaving out someone of Bender's experience in favour of Jordie Barrett.

Coaches are clearly doubling down on having another play-making option at 15.