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

[dirty harry]

Knowing us, World Cups and NZ's pretty terrible recent card record, it's perfectly set up for some random head-contact yellow for us, turned into red that just tips the match for NZ, who play perfectly clean rugby for 80+ minutes!

I'm getting to the calm zone of it is what it is. If we go out, I want it to be because the ABs were just better than us, not to a random card or reffing decision. Not a massive fan of Wayne Barnes, he's extremly picky and very quick to call penalties and card players especially on defense. If you're clean (and the attacking team), no problems.

But, sure, we'll see anyway. Never felt we had as much of a chance as we do now to get through, so that's a massive positive going in.

I disagree, I think Barnes is the best around at the minute. He is a little picky, but his communication is world class. Even though he makes a decision against your side, if you hear him explain it to your captain you end up agreeing lol.

I also think he is exactly what Ireland need, NZ are going to hammer that breakdown hard, if they step out of place he'll nail them. He isn't O Keefe who allows attacking teams do whatever they want at the breakdown

 

[Zac_ETNZ]

Barnes also allows play to flow even when he's spotted a minor technical but inconsequential infraction. He communicates clearly to players and explains his rulings when queried. He's one of the fairest most consistent referees around.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Why is Leicester playing instead of Telea?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

New Zealand: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (capt), Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot.

Reserves: Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Sam Whitelock, Dalton Papalii, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown.

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

Good team that.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Without Ryan we don't really have an advantage in the second row which I think is a huge factor v NZ. Our front row and back row I think are quite a bit better and I think with Bundee's form we edge it in midfield too. If we can contain Mo'unga and not allow him pull strings we should win relatively comfortably but that's not that easy to do.

I think we'll do it. There's something about this team that makes me unable to doubt them.

 

[miccloarch]

Why is Leicester playing instead of Telea?

Telea broke curfew apparently lol. They could've let it slide but I suppose he gave them a reason.

Interesting call though, tactically. Telea's an absolute world class finisher and slips out of tackles so easily. Leicester can cover midfield and is good at the breakdown like Tuisova, only better decision making with ball in hand.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Feel like telea scoring a couple worldies was the all blacks best chance

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Can't agree with leaving out telea. His ability to bounce off tackles and run laterally could have played an important role in disrupting the structured defence. Faingaanuku more just rides tackles for metres. Usually that's a good thing because you can get front foot ball but irelands defence is very quick to organise and you are less likely to get frobt foot ball against Ireland on the wing. They should have left out beauden and put jordan at fullback, not drop telea. Edit: apparently for disciplinary reasons

And no Roigard. He could also have made a difference. Edit: apparently for Christie's defensive prowess. While I agree that roigard defence can be atrocious at times, Christie's passing game just isn't nearly good enough at this level

And no taukeiaho. How have we got there? Taukeiaho provides the front foot ball up the middle. Simply he is out most important player.

Newell and Williams on the bench. Well I don't know that these selections are necessarily wrong because ofa and nepo havent been playing the house down but I do worry for these youngsters coming off the bench in a pressure situation. And newell has had some scrum issues this year.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Feel like telea scoring a couple worldies was the all blacks best chance

Snap

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Why is Leicester playing instead of Telea?

Ok so apparently there is a reason:

Foster confirmed at the start of his team-naming press conference on the outskirts of Paris that Telea's omission was for disciplinary reasons. "He breached the protocol – nothing major, but enough to keep him out of selection this week," said the coach. "We still love him, he's trained well, it happens

...breached a team curfew by a considerable time period.

 

[Reiser99]

Ok so apparently there is a reason:

Foster confirmed at the start of his team-naming press conference on the outskirts of Paris that Telea's omission was for disciplinary reasons. "He breached the protocol – nothing major, but enough to keep him out of selection this week," said the coach. "We still love him, he's trained well, it happens

Nothing major could cost you a place in the world cup semis. Seems a bit pedantic at this stage of the tournament. Punish him after if you need, but don't risk your shot at winning.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Nothing major could cost you a place in the world cup semis. Seems a bit pedantic at this stage of the tournament. Punish him after if you need, but don't risk your shot at winning.

Good point, they could have even dropped him for the semi - that being an easier game

 

[miccloarch]

Nothing major could cost you a place in the world cup semis. Seems a bit pedantic at this stage of the tournament. Punish him after if you need, but don't risk your shot at winning.

Expecting logical decisions from Ian Foster is a big ask.

Leicester is pretty good though and even if he wasn't, it's not going to make a difference to the result.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I like pictures

Dropped from a QF is pretty bloody serious! LF looked a bit average at times v Uruguay….

I don't get the idea roigard is SO bad on defence he can't be trusted, personally I think this is another form of arrogance from fozzie…he's convinced the most likely situation at 70 min is we're in front and need to defend…when lots of us think we might need some X factor to score some points and that's roigard

And bb over dmac….

 

[OldSchoolRugga]

If NZ win this, then it's basically all down to Joe Schmidt.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

If NZ win this, then it's basically all down to Joe Schmidt.

How so? He already shown he can't read his old team as well as we thought

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I came into this thinking Ireland could be weakened on the wing and it turns out only the ABs are. Ireland to dominate breakdown and possibly lineout. I think AB heads go down late on to inflate the score a bit.

Ireland 37 - 13 NZ

I hope I am wrong and the slightly more attack orientated ABs can make a real fist of it and score more tries against Ireland than Romania did. If Scotland and NZ cannot break that defence down then it could be a knockout phase for the purist.

 

[Zac_ETNZ]

Why is Leicester playing instead of Telea?

Telea must be injured - it's the only reason why the best AB winger in this squad is not playing. Leicester is not fast enough to be a winger, and he's off to England after RWC so Foster strikes again!!!

 

[Zac_ETNZ]

Ok so apparently there is a reason:

Foster confirmed at the start of his team-naming press conference on the outskirts of Paris that Telea's omission was for disciplinary reasons. "He breached the protocol – nothing major, but enough to keep him out of selection this week," said the coach. "We still love him, he's trained well, it happens

...breached a team curfew by a considerable time period.

That is the most asinine excuse for leaving out their most effective wing in a must-win test match. Foster has really outdone himself this time.
Even the Irish props are faster than Leister.