• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

[RWC2023 QF2] Ireland vs New Zealand (14/10/2023)

Ergh just woke up and it feels very raw. NZ defence completely dominated last night. Can't fault the effort but there were some bad mistakes from the players. I think Porter was always going to have that game where he got pinged off the park and this was it.

Key for Ireland is keeping Farrell. Want him to have another crack but feel we may lose him to England.

What I have learnt from this World Cup is the Irish pundits talk of "cycles" is absolute nonsense. You turn up or you don't to a World Cup and it really is just luck.

We're going to make a semi final one day - Irish rugby is in too good a place. But felt like this should have been the team.

Extremely proud of the lads - some of the best weekends of my life.
Agreed stay positive bud, it's all just talk at the end of the day, Ireland had the best chance they have had an unfortunately fell slightly short, it was an epic game from both teams and really could have gone either way, unfortunately it's the best team on the day not over a period or form prior. I do hope there isn't a dip in form, it's pretty harsh on the Leinster contingent, they must have a crazy win ratio this season for club and country but unfortunately have soley the grand slam to show for it which is by no means a small.
 
Just woke now. And well the hirt still there but incredibly proud. Will start by saying np real complaints. New Zealand were the better team on the night and that aggressive line speed and big tempo hits really set the tone. Our lineout struggled at times and we made 1 or 2 errors but I can't fault any player as they all gave it a massive effort.
This exit was different to before. Last time we had players who struggled for just the mood had died. This exit the lads kept trying and the effort was clear. We will dust down and go again but fair play to Andy Farrell and all the coaches.
Lastly Sexton getting massive credit and praise for a great career but also Earls deserves a huge shout out. No surprise he mentions nothing and lets Farrell slip it out but as a man I have been lucky to call a friend, colleague and a true inspiration it was great that his last act for Munster was a ***le and he got to 100 caps.
Sexton I have slated at times through years as he is that good and a warrior that went to the end.
2 true legends of Irish rugby.
 
Without being disrespectfull, i beleav Irish game plan was too predictible. Very well done, but predictible. They're missing that little bit of madness that could make the difference. The same attacks, again, and again, and again.
Exactly! The claimed 37 phases in the dying stage showcased precisely their predictability: Ireland played one out in the forwards, set up, and then the backs passed the ball to a back running laterally behind the forwards walking to the next play-the-ball in a typical league defensive formation. The ABs read it and simply spread out and marked one-on-one and then forced the ball back in-field. Rinse and repeat. The Ireland backs ran out of ideas and kept trying to bash through a solid defensive line.

Compare it to the 2013 test in Dublin with the All Blacks trailing 22-17, and went through multiple phases to score the winning points.
 
And can I just add that I seen some mentions of Wayne Barnes around the place. He had nothing to do with result and reffed the game very well and fair I thought. New Zealand beat us and just got the small margins right on the night.
Yeah agree - can't complain with the decisions.

Play that game 10 times and I think it is 5/5. Shows where we have come
 
Exactly! The claimed 37 phases in the dying stage showcased precisely their predictability: Ireland played one out in the forwards, set up, and then the backs passed the ball to a back running laterally behind the forwards walking to the next play-the-ball in a typical league defensive formation. The ABs read it and simply spread out and marked one-on-one and then forced the ball back in-field. Rinse and repeat. The Ireland backs ran out of ideas and kept trying to bash through a solid defensive line.

Compare it to the 2013 test in Dublin with the All Blacks trailing 22-17, and went through multiple phases to score the winning points.
I'd disagree here. Like Ireland nearly won if Barrett didn't make a superb effort to keep ball up.
New Zealand made huge aggressive line speed which makes it hard for any team and unluke any other game in the 1st half where real damage was done Ireland had to many carries that were isolayed that never happened before. And for Will Jordan try it was 3 errors on Irelands side not a NZ master play so like that a 2 try swing on Ireland errors on small margins
 
Yeah agree - can't complain with the decisions.

Play that game 10 times and I think it is 5/5. Shows where we have come
I'd probably give it more of a 6/4 in Irish favour, I don't think NZ could consistently maintain that want desire grit, what ever mentality where as Ireland game plan is less reliant on that type of emotion etc.
 
I wonder where Ireland go from here. There are plenty of young kids coming through so future should be bright. Interesting to see team in next cycle as some real figures are leaving.
 
I wonder where Ireland go from here. There are plenty of young kids coming through so future should be bright. Interesting to see team in next cycle as some real figures are leaving.
Who's leaving who's been heavily relied on I know I'm missing some, Sexton and POM?
 
A stupid system has basically made this the most anticlimatic World Cup of all time.
Best 4 teams in the quarter finals facing each other...after they already faced each other in the group stage. it will feel less exciting after tonight.

Ireland didn't seem to have a plan B, I was expecting a bit more of kicking variations once they realized their plan A wasn't working. A few times they had superiority on the wings but chose not to exploit it.
 
Murray, Hendo, Aki, Lowe
Out of curiosity did you find it strange that Murray came on when Ireland were chasing the game, unless something im unaware of causing it I'd have kept JGP on in that situation.
 
I'd disagree here. Like Ireland nearly won if Barrett didn't make a superb effort to keep ball up.
New Zealand made huge aggressive line speed which makes it hard for any team and unluke any other game in the 1st half where real damage was done Ireland had to many carries that were isolayed that never happened before. And for Will Jordan try it was 3 errors on Irelands side not a NZ master play so like that a 2 try swing on Ireland errors on small margins
You can disagree and wish things were different all you like, but the point about Ireland's predictable attack formation and structure was all there for the All Blacks to see, and made their defence structure a lot easier.

I hadn't watched any Ireland games since they ate our lunch in NZ last year: their first game I watched since then was against SA, and I wasn't all that impressed by their performance. I was confident then that we would win the QF, regardless of our opponents.
 
Out of curiosity did you find it strange that Murray came on when Ireland were chasing the game, unless something im unaware of causing it I'd have kept JGP on in that situation.
He'd had a great tournament tbf. Don't think he would have been a step down
 
I'd probably give it more of a 6/4 in Irish favour, I don't think NZ could consistently maintain that want desire grit, what ever mentality where as Ireland game plan is less reliant on that type of emotion etc.
A pathological fear of losing is pretty powerful motivation. Ireland didn't seem to have it today.
 
Last edited:
He'd had a great tournament tbf. Don't think he would have been a step down
Oh he's as experienced as hell and has been great I just don't think he's who I would chose when chasing a game far better to close one out was more what I was getting at but if JGP was out on his feet plus what was happening wasn't working I guess changing the picture isn't a bad thing.
 
Top