Ireland v New Zealand; Croke Park 5.15pm (pre/during/post discussion thread)

Bobalicious93

Game Over now I'm afraid

Stev_o

I love the logic of beating New Zealand by giving them the ball :rolleyes:

Micky Dolenz

Bobalicious93 wrote: »

Game Over now I'm afraid

What about now?:eek:

Stev_o

Game over, poor tackle by Kearney really all he was doing was soaking a tackle.

Thats been the real difference in the game, NZ have managed to tackle and drive players back but when he tackle we'v only just barely managed to put the man on the ground.

mikeruurds

Damn - that Luke Fitzgerald has some talent.

rebel girl 15

Game over now - O Connell needs to come off, though we've only two back rowers on the bench

Magnum

Getting closer to a try

Ghost Train

too many errors. Would have liked too see ireland be more fluid and careful with the passes

cabla

Ireland need like 1 day a week for handling training..so many simple mistakes with the all blacks rarely make, except for just there.

rebel girl 15

There are so many unforced errors coming in on both sides - but Ireland are trying to push it, which doesn't help

Stev_o

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

There are so many unforced errors coming in on both sides - but Ireland are trying to push it, which doesn't help

Yup really failing to spark any sort of chance dire stuff.


New Zealand are just playing this as if it's a training match just going through the motions with ease.

rebel girl 15

Stev_o wrote: »

Yup really failing to spark any sort of chance dire stuff.


New Zealand are just playing this as if it's a training match just going through the motions with ease.

they are only going through the motions now, the first half had great intensity, but now it is all too easy for the All Blacks

cabla

Ye like comentry is saying New Zealand are unstoppable, just amazing.
In my opinion they are playing awful and still destroying us, just showing how dreadfully we are playing. We should should concentrate on stopping anymore tries than scoring at this stage. There seems to be no pace about them, or New Zealand all very slow or something.

cabla

Ye like comentry is saying New Zealand are unstoppable, just amazing.
In my opinion they are playing awful and still destroying us, just showing how dreadfully we are playing. We should should concentrate on stopping anymore tries than scoring at this stage. There seems to be no pace about them, or New Zealand all very slow or something.

andyman

Croke Park is a bloody library

the groutch

anyone else notice that the paddypower hoardings are upside-down?

rebel girl 15

we haven't had any attacking threat - defensively we aren't too bad.

George Hook admits that the AB aren't playing well, but there is cause for optimism, as there aren't any teams as good as this in the six nations

mikeruurds

All 3 Tri nations sides are looking a little jaded at the moment. I think they're knackered after the long season.

In fact, I'm just looking for any excuse to explain the Boks two dismal performances so far

Gingervitis

Time to empty the bench methinks

rebel girl 15

any half decent chance of a try is scuppered by Ireland - 5 metres away and then giving away the penalty!!!!!!!! Frustrating isn't the word

cabla

This game is soooo anoying to watch. Just so many mistakes, they need to relax and take a breath.

Magnum

the groutch wrote: »

anyone else notice that the paddypower hoardings are upside-down?

Saw that............

Des Hynes

Snigger

Hippo

Truly awful display. No continuity, no ideas. We should have shipped 50 or more.

Ghost Train

the groutch wrote: »

anyone else notice that the paddypower hoardings are upside-down?

Thought they looked a bit funny

rebel girl 15

Hippo wrote: »

Truly awful display. No continuity, no ideas. We should have shipped 50 or more.

Shows that the new defense coach has done something well. That isn't the first time that those paddy power things have been upside down, they were the same for the last game in Croker

Hippo

eolhc wrote: »

Thought they looked a bit funny

Thought it was deliberate, it was the same last season. So you'll 'notice' them better.

rebel girl 15

ali williams rte man of the match.

Gingervitis

Hippo wrote: »

Truly awful display. No continuity, no ideas. We should have shipped 50 or more.

well, i don't know about that, the defence has been heroic in the face of numerous line breaks. I think the scoreline's been accurate: no attack from us, but we never looked like shipping 50 points (maybe that's more New Zealand not at their best though)

Hippo

ABs less than totally sharp. They've had easily enough ball and territory to have really buried us.

Stev_o

Gingervitis wrote: »

well, i don't know about that, the defence has been heroic in the face of numerous line breaks. I think the scoreline's been accurate: no attack from us, but we never looked like shipping 50 points (maybe that's more New Zealand not at their best though)

Ah Nz didnt seem to care once Sivatui try was disallowed but yeah first 40 was great defensive effort but it took its toll on them.

Backline failed to impressed im nowhere near convinced that this Fitz Bod centreship will work

andyman

Stev_o wrote: »

Backline failed to impressed im nowhere near convinced that this Fitz Bod centreship will work

To be fair though, probably the entire backline weren't great today but they did show glimpses. BO'D showed glimpses of his best and Fitzgerald showed some good pace. You need to give the partnership a proper chance and not judge it on a couple of games.

rebel girl 15

Luke Fitsgerald was the only one that showed any great spark in the backline, Earls put himself about when he came on as well. Hope O Connell is alright for Argentina.

All the southern hemisphere sides won today.

jayteecork

Could someone please explain why New Zealand got a penalty try and Bowe was sent off for 10?

He knocked it back.

We see it all the time from high balls, players jumping up and tapping it back.

Horrible ruling in my opinion.

Stev_o

jayteecork wrote: »

Could someone please explain why New Zealand got a penalty try and Bowe was sent off for 10?

He knocked it back.

We see it all the time from high balls, players jumping up and tapping it back.

Horrible ruling in my opinion.

Its a professional foul to knock or slap the ball out of the way into touch or off field. So the decision is completely right.

About Fitz BOD, i for once agree with Hook that Fitz imposes more of a threat then BOD how did feck all today lets be honest and if he wasnt a captain he'd loose his place, ill say it again id much before Wallace at 12 or a fit D'Arcy at 12 with Fitz outside him because at the moment BOD isnt offering us anything impressive.

RugbyFanatic

Stev_o wrote: »

Backline failed to impressed im nowhere near convinced that this Fitz Bod centreship will work

Are you serious?!! BOD and Fitz both played very well!

Fitz managed 3 line breaks, BOD got 2 and BODs offloading today was excellent. Defensively they were superb especially Fitz.

rebel girl 15

the all blacks won't have their strongest team out - they wouldn't be able to field the team they had today.

Noopti

Oh well! I think the All Blacks turned it on in the 3rd quarter. I don't know what Kidney was doing leaving an obviously injured O'Connell on so long, stupid decision. Overall though, as was said during the commentary the All Blacks were well and above any team we will face in the forthcoming 6N and we are only starting a new season with a new coaching setup and some new players. I can see us progressing under this management and I see some hope for the 6 Nations.

For now, roll on the game next week. I will be there and it is the most important game of this series. We need to beat Argentina, and I think that we should.

Edit: Oh yeah, Quinlan.....take it a bit easier! Too many penalties.

RugbyFanatic

Stev_o wrote: »

About Fitz BOD, i for once agree with Hook that Fitz imposes more of a threat then BOD how did feck all today lets be honest and if he wasnt a captain he'd loose his place, ill say it again id much before Wallace at 12 or a fit D'Arcy at 12 with Fitz outside him because at the moment BOD isnt offering us anything impressive.

This is an absolute joke. He made two excellent breaks, turned over ball, excellent offloading in the tackles, did a lovely kick and chase and regained ball, defensively he made not one error, he did excellent decoy running allowing Fitz into space, did 2 excellent tatical kicks.

Honestly to say BOD did feck all is completely untrue.

donvito99

Quinlan should be dropped, then shot.

Stev_o

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

This is an absolute joke. He made two excellent breaks, turned over ball, excellent offloading in the tackles, did a lovely kick and chase and regained ball, defensively he made not one error, he did excellent decoy running allowing Fitz into space, did 2 excellent tatical kicks.

Honestly to say BOD did feck all is completely untrue.

Not really Fitz did alot of the decent work while BOD stood around unanimously there was never at one point you could of said that yeah they have the upper hand on their opposite numbers, they were outplayed and BOD more so.

I said it near the beginning you dont beat Nz by GIVING THEM POSSESSION its pure suicide and yet the captain still thought it was best to keep kicking and not say anything to ROG about cut down on the kicking. How much possession did Ireland have today? And how much possession was giving to New Zealand by us going time and time again to the boot

soloparadox

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

This is an absolute joke. He made two excellent breaks, turned over ball, excellent offloading in the tackles, did a lovely kick and chase and regained ball, defensively he made not one error, he did excellent decoy running allowing Fitz into space, did 2 excellent tatical kicks.

Honestly to say BOD did feck all is completely untrue.

I agree his best game in the green for a while. Maybe tweaking the center pairing by putting Fitz on the outside and O'Driscoll on the inside would work better?

Magnum

donvito99 wrote: »

Quinlan should be dropped, then shot.

I agree..................

RugbyFanatic

My Post match Analysis :

ROG unfortunately had a poor game. His kicking was diabolical and his tackling at times was a complete joke getting brushed aside like some kind of fly. He made a few good passes but overall he should be extremely disappointed.

Quinlan shouldn't start against the Argies the fact is he gives away far too many stupid penalties and didn't contribute much at all today. I counted THREE times we were in their 22 and Quinlan gave away a penalty which ended with NZ in our 22. Opportunity lost.

Wallace had a superb game today. Really did some great running

Best had an absolute shocker IMO. Horrible throwing, Flannery needs to start.

Quite pleased with TO'L

Our centre partnership was excellent today it seems BOD and Fitz is a solid combination.

Kearney, Dempsey, Bowe had quiet games but then again they didn't really get the opportunity to do much.

Thought DOC and Heaslip were very quiet altogether though I do recall Heaslip turning over some ball other than that the two were missing.

APM

eolhc wrote: »

Thought they looked a bit funny

they've done this at quite a few events now and the fact we noticed and are talking about it proved that their advertising worked!

sioda

Dempsey was anonymous Kearney or earls to start next week.

Quinlans yeah did give away a few penalties but did give a bit of agression when needed.

Best awful just plain awful Flannery was needed to give a bit of punch

ROG had some good running but kicking dodgy at best except that penalty

Scrum wise we held up well John Hayes IMO looking the best he has been for years

All in all NZ were crap though

ironingbored

I thought ireland played relatively well for the first 39 minutes until (like France 2007) we lost concentration and allowed the AB's in for a try. I don't really blame Bowe although I think a penalty try should suffice in those situations.

Am I the only one who thought the game turned in the 53rd minute when POC (very good game) was lying on the ground and they took a lineout? How many times are scrums and lineouts put on hold while a player is given treatment? Then Rokocoko waltz's past him ( I accept that the defence was all fowards and may not have made a difference). What may have made a difference is MOK coming on and doing something in the lineout.

I am sick to death of hearing Rog this Rog that...In the big games (and I mean really big international games) for ireland he has bottled it time and time again. As soon as he had a kick blocked after 30 seconds I knew he was going to be **** again.

If I had been a team mate of Quilan's I'd have grabbed his throat for some of the penos he gave away in good positions.

Wallace was outstanding except for two unforgiveable passes in great positions.

I thought BOD was brilliant. Shuddering tackle on carter early on and an amazing steal from two all blacks just outside his own 22 when NZ were threatening. Great offloads as well. Fitzgerald was immense in defence and represented our only threat going forward.

Dempsey poor, Kearney has to start at 15 from now on. I'd also have earls ahead of Bowe.

Last but not least, disgusted with the use of replacements. No changes until too late to do anything. O'Callaghan anonymous. Best didnt play well.

jam_on_toast

Stev_o wrote: »

Backline failed to impressed im nowhere near convinced that this Fitz Bod centreship will work

They played alright. O'Leary was good too. The real problem here is ROG, he was shocking. His complete inability to front up and play well in big matches for Ireland is getting so old. I cant understand why he keeps on kicking the ball away. To hear Pope say he was the best 10 in the NH at the start nearly made me choke on my dinner. We need a new option at 10 so so so badly.

We also need to play a real 7, yes wallace was good and deserves his place in the team, but at 6 or 8.

Dempsey has no place in an ireland shirt anymore, kearney to 15 and earls to the wing.

Buckley has no place in the 22, healy on the other hand could make a real impression from the bench.

All in all, that was an incredibly frustrating match to watch.

GreeBo

Same problem as Scotland had, aimless kicking with no real effort to chase. A kick is only as good as the chase.

Some terrible decision making also, quick balls into trouble, etc.

RugbyFanatic

On the basis of today's game this is what I want to see next week.

1.Horan
2.Flannery
3.Hayes
4.MOK
5.POC
6.Ferris
7.Wallace
8.Heaslip
9.TO'L
10.O'Gara
11.Earls
12.Fitz
13.BOD
14.Bowe
15.Kearney

Leaving Dempsey out not because he played poorly (in fairness he didn't do anything wrong) but because I tend to agree that although we are very good defensively we have SERIOUS trouble creating attacking opportunities.

Ferris ahead of Quinlan is pretty self explanatory as is Flannery over Best. DOC has had two ridiculously quiet games in a row now its time to bring in MOK and see what he can do he wont have to do much to do better than DOC has done.