RWC Pool C: Ireland vs Australia, Sat 17 Sep 9:30am; Pre/During/Post Match Thread

Cpt_Blackbeard · 17-09-2011 3:43pm

Brendan97 wrote: »

did you know that if bowe had have got that last minute try and o'gara had converted it ireland would have moved to 3rd in the world rankings ahead of austrialia

I think I read that we'd have been down to second if Fiji beat SA by some margin aswell. It shows how close all the teams from 2-8 are in the rankings.

Piliger · 17-09-2011 3:43pm

It was a fabulous win. The front 7, and especially the front five were heroic. Watching Cian Healy suffer but drive on with intensity was humbling. We also got the rub of the green several times. But then again the harder you work the luckier you get.

But O'Connell was absolutely 100% spot on after the match. He referred to it as just a match. One match, in a competition. No more.

What struck me about the game is the now undeniable realisation that our previously famed attacking back line is now a distant history. No moves. No penetration. No ideas. I guess it couldn't last forever but those were fantastic days when our back line was one of the best in the world. That we won without it is astonishing.

The big question after this brilliant victory is .. is this another one off like England ?

Let's face it that is our pattern over the last few years and patterns like that very very rarely ever change.

On the other hand if we can limp past Russia (and don't anyone take that for granted !) and then Italy - it won't matter if we beat them by only 3 points because the players will know they can ramp it up when they have to.

A bloody great day !!

rebel girl 15 · 17-09-2011 3:45pm

From rte.ie

Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll has revealed the role injured hooker Jerry Flannery played in inspiring today's stunning 15-6 World Cup victory over Australia at Eden Park.

The Irish placed one foot in the quarter-finals after taking command of Pool C by toppling the Tri Nations champions and tournament second favourites.

It was a smart forward-dominated performance full of controlled ferocity that was completely at odds with their form heading to New Zealand.

O'Driscoll insists the squad never wavered in their belief they could upset 1/5 favourites Australia during an emotional build-up week.

The most stirring moment came when Flannery, the popular Munster player whose career is now in doubt after he was ruled out of the World Cup with a calf injury, presented the team with their jerseys.

"It's nice to back up all our talk from during the week," said O'Driscoll.

"There were some very passionate words said by guys who weren't even in the 22. That's where it came from.

"There were some poignant moments throughout the week.

"I don't think a lot of guys will forget Jerry Flannery handing out the jerseys yesterday at the captain's meeting.

"Mentally we were in a place where we felt as though we owed ourselves a big performance.

"Much as we owed the Irish public one, we owed ourselves one first and foremost.

"There was a tension in training and a sense the performance was coming. It was just a matter of making it happen."

Now Ireland need only account for Russia and Italy to secure the easier quarter-final, probably against Wales or Samoa, offering them a tantalising glimpse of the last four.

But O'Driscoll sounded a note of caution to those supporters plotting their route to the final on 23 October.

"It was nice to deliver this win but that's half the job done. We have a game next week that we must win," he said.

"This is to be enjoyed but we must use it as a stepping stone to a level of consistency.

"That's where we've struggled a bit in the past. A goal of ours in the coming weeks is to make sure that we don't let this standard drop.

"It's a good win but I'm not sitting here with the Webb Ellis trophy beside me.

"It's a win and it's great because it's something we haven't done before, but let's not oversell it.

"It's a means to an end and we must accept it as that. We mustn't get lost in the moment."

Kidney: The work really starts now
In the aftermath of the fantastic victory over Australia, Irish coach Declan Kidney has refused to get carried away, but admitted that it was about time Ireland beat the Wallabies on the big stage.

The result places South Africa and Australia on a quarter-final collision course before a likely meeting with New Zealand, if as expected they defeat France, in the last four.

Meanwhile the top half of the knockout draw could entirely consist of Six Nations teams - a prospect that appeals to Ireland coach Kidney.

"It's probably good for the World Cup. The Tri-Nations team play a lot against one another," he said.

"Let the Tri-Nations sort out one half and the Six Nations sort out the other half.

"It's only a World Cup if a northern hemisphere side plays a southern hemisphere team in the final."

Beating Tri-Nations champions Australia, the tournament's second favourites, has given Ireland a fantastic chance of reaching the semi-finals for the first time.

It was undoubtedly their greatest World Cup performance, though Kidney was reluctant to comment on whether it was their biggest win of all time.

"When you're involved in the middle of something it's probably best not to say. It's for other people to answer that," he said.

"We'll enjoy the night tonight. It's a good reason for a party.

"Yeah we're fairly pleased with that. When you've played a team five times in a competition it's nice to get one over them eventually.

"But it will be meaningless unless we win the other two matches because we're a long way from qualifying from our group yet."

Popular Munster hooker Jerry Flannery, who was ruled out of the World Cup with a career-threatening calf injury on Thursday, presented the team with their jerseys on Friday.

"Jerry was hugely disappointed to miss out," said Kidney.

"Those of us who know Jerry know how hard he has worked to get fit for this World Cup.

"We've always talked about the importance of what the non playing 15 bring and this was one of those occasions."

ShamoBuc · 17-09-2011 3:46pm

Super win - unreal scrum - front row, just wow - Sexton had a good game but more often than those points he missed with the boot could cost us in a tight game - defence was savage - crowd was seriously vocal - all in all a thoroughly deserved victory!!

hardCopy · 17-09-2011 3:48pm

What a result!

Just finished watching a recording, managed to somehow avoid the result all day.

bleg · 17-09-2011 3:51pm

Australia

Just re watched it there. I'm by no means a heaslip apologist but he was great in defence today. He was in genia and cooper's faces all day. I think it was a tactical move. Let obrien and ferris do the explosive ball carrying whilst he does the smashing. Quiet off the scrum but did the tactical job give to him.

Robbie deans looked like a broken man afterwards.

Onwards and upwards. This team reminds me of Argentina in the last world cup. There is obviously a huge amount of self belief and camaraderie in the camp. Well done to the whole lot of them. Bridesmaids no more.

Monty Burnz · 17-09-2011 3:52pm

Just saw this video, an interview with Elsom before the game. At the end, the interviewer asks about the Irish strategy for holding up guys in the tackle to win turnovers.

Elsom doesn't know what he's talking about: 'I think the Irish guys are pretty much straight up and down with their tackling, unless you've seen something that I haven't.' :eek:

The Aussies didn't cover this in their video analysis?? :eek:

Buceph · 17-09-2011 3:56pm

Australia

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Just saw this video, an interview with Elsom before the game. At the end, the interviewer asks about the Irish strategy for holding up guys in the tackle to win turnovers.

Elsom doesn't know what he's talking about: 'I think the Irish guys are pretty much straight up and down with their tackling, unless you've seen something that I haven't.' :eek:

The Aussies didn't cover this in their video analysis?? :eek:

In fairness Kidney didn't tip that hand, at least not obviously. We all knew it was coming with the way tackling was done by two men and letting the player slip through before being brought down. But until now it's been mainly a provincial thing to smother tackle.

Brendan97 · 17-09-2011 4:01pm

Australia

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

I think I read that we'd have been down to second if Fiji beat SA by some margin aswell. It shows how close all the teams from 2-8 are in the rankings.

it actually doesnt because in the wc the amount of ranking points you gain/lose doubles in the wc.
ireland were on 78.50 points and australia were on 88.84
they were so far apart that if ireland had have lost there points wouldn't have changes.
this is the best irb world rankings calculaor because it also tells you if one team would pass out the other if a certain score happenedhttp://www.lassen.co.nz/pagmisc.php#hrh
if bowe had have got that try and o'gara had have converted it ireland would be on 84.50 and aus would be on 82.84

Brewster · 17-09-2011 4:03pm

What a performance from the team today and in particular the pack of forwards. As someone who has attended every Ireland 6 Nations game since 2005 and only missed a handful over past 13 years, I don't think I was ever as proud as I was today. Ive had some great moments in stadiums but the win this morning felt every bit as good. I have defended Rory Best on this forum to the tilt and this morning's display shows why. What a fastatic display of hooking it was, one crocked throw aside. He was the cement between the props today and his defence was simply sensensational. Of course there is a element of 'I told you so' about this post, but feck it, I've earned it!!!!! There were too many posters calling for Flannery to start before he got injured and Cronin before that during the 6 Nations. I would like to propose a motion through the mods, "Anyone whom says Rory Best cannot throw the ball into a line out again on the rugby forum deserves a holiday from here!!! What a backrow performance also. Ferris, Heaslip and SOB had never even started a game together before as far as i recall. Immense. They are still young lads, unreal potential.

achtungbarry · 17-09-2011 4:07pm

Ned Kelly, Kylie Minogue, Flipper, Vegimite, Germaine Greer, that guy from the King's speech, Crocodile Dundee, Men at Work, Skippy, Rolf Harris, can you hear me.... Rolf Harris.... Your boys took a hell of a beating. Your boys took a hell of a beating!!!!

Cpt_Blackbeard · 17-09-2011 4:10pm

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Just saw this video, an interview with Elsom before the game. At the end, the interviewer asks about the Irish strategy for holding up guys in the tackle to win turnovers.

Elsom doesn't know what he's talking about: 'I think the Irish guys are pretty much straight up and down with their tackling, unless you've seen something that I haven't.' :eek:

The Aussies didn't cover this in their video analysis?? :eek:

Its a fantastic tactic and I would expect other teams to follow suit. Not only does it stop any offloads and slow down the opposition but, the opposition have to commit 1/2 players to ensure they keep the ball. Once the mall collapses our players aren't compelled to roll away so the opposition has to commit more players to the breakdown to clear them away.

Monty Burnz · 17-09-2011 4:12pm

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Its a fantastic tactic and I would expect other teams to follow suit.

But I'm astonished the Aussie team didn't cover this in prep. You look at the UK forums and there's loads of talk about it. We murdered England with it in the 6N. It's not like it was a secret or anything.

twinytwo · 17-09-2011 4:13pm

Skunkle wrote: »

Nothing better than watching arrogant Aussies choking on humble pie

Seen a few predict and Irish win too though, but the majority of them put it all down to the bad reffing of the scrum.

Seen some epic quotes on the aussie forums. eg ...

Apart from that, the Irish deserved to win while we didn't. I can almost (almost) handle losing to them, because at least they're not the Englsih.

BQQ · 17-09-2011 4:14pm

Anyone know why Murray's try was disallowed?

Quint2010 · 17-09-2011 4:15pm

Matt Williams

Piliger wrote: »

It was a fabulous win. The front 7, and especially the front five were heroic. Watching Cian Healy suffer but drive on with intensity was humbling. We also got the rub of the green several times. But then again the harder you work the luckier you get.

But O'Connell was absolutely 100% spot on after the match. He referred to it as just a match. One match, in a competition. No more.

What struck me about the game is the now undeniable realisation that our previously famed attacking back line is now a distant history. No moves. No penetration. No ideas. I guess it couldn't last forever but those were fantastic days when our back line was one of the best in the world. That we won without it is astonishing.

The big question after this brilliant victory is .. is this another one off like England ?

Let's face it that is our pattern over the last few years and patterns like that very very rarely ever change.

On the other hand if we can limp past Russia (and don't anyone take that for granted !) and then Italy - it won't matter if we beat them by only 3 points because the players will know they can ramp it up when they have to.

A bloody great day !!

Some good points there. We have showed we can do it on one offs and on any day we can beat anyone. Just lets win the group by any means and then bring it on!

danthefan · 17-09-2011 4:17pm

BQQ wrote: »

Anyone know why Murray's try was disallowed?

I think whoever turned the ball over was judged to have done it illegally. Will have to trust the ref because there didn't seem to be a great view of it on TV.

Cpt_Blackbeard · 17-09-2011 4:20pm

Monty Burnz wrote: »

But I'm astonished the Aussie team didn't cover this in prep. You look at the UK forums and there's loads of talk about it. We murdered England with it in the 6N. It's not like it was a secret or anything.

I may be wrong but, from what I remember of the warmups we stopped doing the choke tackle as the progressed. I have no idea if we used it againt the US (my memory of games is generally terrible

). Maybe their video analysists guessed that we gave it up as it wasn't effective, so they didn't highlight it.

Piliger · 17-09-2011 4:24pm

Monty Burnz wrote: »

But I'm astonished the Aussie team didn't cover this in prep. You look at the UK forums and there's loads of talk about it. We murdered England with it in the 6N. It's not like it was a secret or anything.

The way the Q was asked was very vague ... so I think Elsom just didn't get the meaning...

Quint2010 · 17-09-2011 4:24pm

Matt Williams

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

I may be wrong but, from what I remember of the warmups we stopped doing the choke tackle as the progressed. I have no idea if we used it againt the US (my memory of games is generally terrible ). Maybe their video analysists guessed that we gave it up as it wasn't effective, so they didn't highlight it.

Maybe just maybe we stopped doing it on purpose and saved it for this game so the Australians wouldnt have put a plan in pace to combat it. Wouldnt put it past Saint (and he is back being a saint now) Declan The Miracle Worker...

DylanJM · 17-09-2011 4:26pm

Australia

danthefan wrote: »

I think whoever turned the ball over was judged to have done it illegally. Will have to trust the ref because there didn't seem to be a great view of it on TV.

@ 1.23 in this video there's a better view of Murray's disallowed try.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEbqP3coXyo

danthefan · 17-09-2011 4:27pm

Quint2010 wrote: »

Maybe just maybe we stopped doing it on purpose and saved it for this game so the Australians wouldnt have put a plan in pace to combat it. Wouldnt put it past Saint (and he is back being a saint now) Declan The Miracle Worker...

That doesn't make much sense to me really. It's well known now that we use the choke tackle, Graham Henry was talking about it before the RWC. If Aus ignored it it's just massively negligent on their part. Worked great today anyway, won us a couple of turnovers.

eightyfish · 17-09-2011 4:32pm

I live in Sydney. Saw the match in an Irish pub - the place was rammed and the atmosphere was unreal. It's even more gratifying after the very arrogant attitude of the media over here. Sorry if this has been posted already, but... before the match:

Thankfully tonight, it won't be the All Blacks in wait but instead a spirited Ireland side which is renowned for causing the Wallabies problems over the years - especially during World Cups - but is a team in decline. There is not much confidence surrounding the Ireland camp, and the feeling is that even with Brian O'Driscoll and Paul O'Connell involved, their side still won't cause much trouble for the Australians. The consensus is that this a team past its best, revolving around too many players at the end of their careers, and they could be exposed by an opposition which is on the rise, thriving with youth and excitement.
Ireland are treated as cup quarter-finalists, and nothing more, expected to waltz with the Wallabies for around 65 minutes then fall away.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/rugby-world-cup/wallabies-can-taste-paradise-at-eden-park-20110916-1ke73.html#ixzz1YDxRBtUX

And, even worse, after the match:

It doesn't get any more embarrassing than this for Australian rugby. The Wallabies were yet again shown to be second-rate by one of the also-rans of world rugby.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-match-report/wallabies-reeling-after-shock-loss-to-ireland-20110917-1kf9z.html#ixzz1YDxb1yLA

Conas · 17-09-2011 4:32pm

Since my popularity on this forum is on the wane. I feel like George Hook now; a sitting duck in the middle of the Atlantic surrounded by sharks, Having said that I'm a lot more positive than he is, and I knew we'd beat Australia. First of all I'm going to give me thoughts on the players and the game.

As everyone is aware our front row was immense. I have no idea what Hook is on about when he said Mike Ross doesn't offer much in the loose. I think he offers more in the loose than any tight-head we've ever had. I thought Healy was outstanding today. He's going to be the best LH in the world, and he's nearly there. POC was everywhere outstanding game. There's no doubt that Eoin Reddan is the first choice scrum half. Considering who is opposite number number was today, I thought he was brilliant. His passing was crisp and accurate, defended well. Sexton didn't have a good game. I think like Colin Slade for the All Blacks, the pressure was on him a bit, and it showed. Having said that the weather didn't help. I think Sexton to 12 should be tried against Russia, and O'Gara at 10.

The backrow were incredible. I thought O'Brien and Ferris were immense. One thing I noticed and I haven't heard mentioned yet was how well they linked together throughout the match. It was outstanding considering it's their first start together (I stand to be corrected) I actually thought they played off each other so so well. O'Brien not a 7? Get over it. It's as good a display from a 7 as you'll see. He was great on the ground, got back and jumped on the ball in the first half which Australia could have scored a try from. Made an incredible tackle on the same player in the second half, which stopped a certain try. Carried really well, Hit the rucks. Classic 7 stuff.

BOD is just not 100%. He's playing with injuries, and if he doesn't get a rest and go easy. He'll pick up a serious injury, and it could very well be a career ending one. His defence just isn't what it was, he just seems to be holding back, and this could be because of his shoulder. But he's invaluable, and showed great awareness to chase down Sextons free kick. If only he was 3 inches taller.

I thought our wingers had a quiet enough day. Bowe always looked dangerous, and his run to the try line was unreal haha. Heart in mouth stuff, but what he should have done if he glanced across the pitch was kick it across to the three players on the other side who had acres of space. Anyone agree? I think so. White line fever maybe.

A great they for Irish sport. I'm so proud. Like ROG, and most people in the country I was quiet emotional. One of the greatest days in Irish sporting history happened today, and I'm so proud of the team, and so proud of all the fans, and more importantly I'm a very proud Irishman. Thank you and god bless.

Taco Corp · 17-09-2011 4:34pm

The amount of Irish over here is incredible. All the locals were supporting us as well so it made for a great atmosphere in the ground.

The lads were due a big game and now it's time to push on and win well against Italy and Russia

rebel girl 15 · 17-09-2011 4:38pm

BQQ wrote: »

Anyone know why Murray's try was disallowed?

Offside according to RTE

All the post match interviews are up online here http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/worldcup/highlights.html

magma69 · 17-09-2011 4:39pm

Is it crazy to suggest South Africa will deliberately play for second? From their perspective, I think Ireland would be a lot more favourable than Australia. It would likely be England after that if I'm not mistaken. No Southern Hemisphere teams along the way.