NZ Tour 2022 - Māori June 29th, NZ July 2nd, NZ July 9th, Māori July 12th, NZ July 16th, KO 8.05am

Ardillaun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264658#Comment_119264658

He’s creative but I wonder if he has the gas for wing at this level.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119267799#Comment_119267799

To be fair, has anyone said they want McGrath in?

shootermacg

Think Frawley needs to make it at 10. He's already been replaced as number two 12 at Leinster. He he doesn't make it at 10, then I don't think there'll be another contract waiting for him.

salmocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119267839#Comment_119267839

No in fact the post he’s pissy about expressly said he’s rightfully not in the squad. He is obsessed with giving out about Leinster.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119267951#Comment_119267951

Jimdemp (DalCais) is completely obsessed with Leinster.

leakyboots

Thought Casey did quite alright considering the circumstances, behind a pack getting their arses handed to them at times. One poor sliced kick and he got turned over a couple of times. Did plenty of good things too, some nice kicks and snipes and the pass was lightning all day.

Not many can hold their head up after the game - I thought Bundee, Timoney at times, Casey. Coombes was our best player, joint most carries in the pack (only Bundee in the backline made more), made the most tackles (19), put Bundee in for a try and got a try himself. Very impressive considering how poor everyone else was on the day.

The skillset dropoff was alarming, the amount of silly knockons and poor passing, offsides etc. None of our back three did much to warm the cockles. Injuries. Not a good day out at all for us.

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119267839#Comment_119267839

Id have mcgrath in ahead of jgp ;)

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119268189#Comment_119268189

Fairly minority view there I'd imagine.

McGrath has the skills to be an exceptional scrum half if he could only pass. But he can't, so such is life.

AbusesToilets

The likes of Carbery, Frawley and Bryne could do with a SH who can control the game and take some of the decision making burden. Casey is not that player, and Murray is too far over the hill at this stage.

tooka

even Before this game I believed it would be 5 zip to the all blacks

firstly it’s been a long season for Irish lads , secondly it’s in New Zealand and thirdly New Zealand are a top side who are fighting for their jerseys.

the Irish players will learn a lot from this tour as will management. If they could win one of the three big ones it will be a good tour.

StevenToast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119268417#Comment_119268417

"Church"?

I winced when I read that....

molloyjh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119267799#Comment_119267799

Any chance you could post without calling people names?

Honest to god this place has gone to the dogs lately and the quality of posting is miles below what it used to be. The out and out bias and nastiness toward each other is just depressing. This is a discussion forum. Is it really too much to ask that people be half decent about how they go about it?

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119268638#Comment_119268638

Reading not your strong suit then?

Itxa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119268646#Comment_119268646

I think he’s taking the piss out of rugby supporters in general with the exaggerated usage of nicknames and D4 language. Personally I like it. Welcome Darren!

theVersatile

How I've missed the international breaks on boards ...

almostover

The trend of issues in the tight 5 needs addressing. We probably don't have time to remedy them directly in the near future either. My proposal would be to pick a beefier backrow to compensate, would work well at ruck & maul time but won't sort the scrum. If Hendo was fit I'd have Beirne at no.6 but that looks unlikely now. Coombes needs to be elevated to starting in the backrow. He has the physique of a no.4 but the footballing skills of a no.8. Doris has really gone off the boil this season and should be dropped. His handling has been very poor and he hasn't made the impact in the carry of previous seasons. Dropping POM in the past gave him the boot up the hole needed for him to find some form and Doris needs the same treatment now. Coombes has been putting his hand up for a good while and again today was Irelands best player. Time to reward it and it may go someway to allievating the loss of Henderson.

Wegians89

Think both Prendergast and McCarthy would have looked better of one or bother where thrown into the deep end in a six nations match with the full first choice pack. There were no real leaders in that pack, no Henderson or Pom or furlong to tell them the relax a bit and not Be too eager.

phily2002

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119268417#Comment_119268417

Strange one on Beirne, whatever about if we were playing SA or France but NZ don't play the power game like those. Our pack will match them physically, Its if we can match their speed of play and stop their quick ball. If Beirnes fit then he's ideal for attacking their rucks.

We beat them in November by been fitter and using quick ruck speed. They were at the end of their season and we were peaking in ours. Tables have turned now so will be interesting to see how it goes.

Dave_The_Sheep

I haven't read the last ten or so pages of what I'm sure is well reasoned and polite discussion, but on a mostly unrelated note, good to see Schmidt get involved in the NZ setup. Especially when Gatland didn't. Sure to piss him off.

Petty, me? Absolutely.

VayNiice

Just watching the game now. Half time at the moment. I honestly don't feel we were nearly as bad as some are making out (so far). Scoring 3 tries in a 10 minute period before half time is the making of the game. If we'd kept our composure in those ten minutes it's a different match.

Earls has been pants though. He didn't even bother his hoop to attempt to tackle a lad right in front of him at 40 minutes. I'll be very disappointed if Farrell selects him for the first test

Strumms

Wasn’t the loosing of the game but I’m watching it again and Barnes again is just unbelievably bad with Ireland the victim of his incompetence on about 4 out of every 5 cock ups of his….

VayNiice

As someone who's been critical of Casey in the past I think he played quite well. A few silly mistakes but overall good. He box kicked less too which was nice.

Coombes and Mccarthy were standouts for me also.

I've seen a few "fans" criticising Jimmy O'brien and Tom O'Toole but I thought bith were pretty solid from what I could see.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119267785#Comment_119267785

You're not the only one. Casey was very very good this morning. One kick that sliced into touch aside, his contribution was overwhelmingly positive. His passing accuracy was 100%. He varied his game and made try saving defensive tackles as well as line breaks and a lovely kick which opened up the defense. He started a lot of plays that broke down because other players were inaccurate.

Casey played to the standard expected of the Irish team but was let down by sloppy handling and Ill discipline from some of his teammates

Frawley on the other hand played like a good 12. Unfortunately that's not the position he was picked to play in

Joe Mccarthy was responsible for 2 of the MABs tries. The first he drove out of the defensive line leaving a huge gap that the MAB player ran through

The Second was when he was out of position near the line leaving snother huge gap where the try was scored

He was also dominated in a few tackles and gave away a few penalties. It's his first international level game so not the end of the world but he's not ready for this level sbd shouldn't have been brought on this tour.

Carbery didn't play well when he came on. AF should be calling one of Burns or Healy to bring them into the squad along with 1 or two loosehead props

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269062#Comment_119269062

Earls was covering the entire back of the field by himself for most of the first half. For the NZ 50/22 larmour and JOB were nowhere to be seen leaving acres of space for MAB to kick into

It wasn't his greatest ever game but he wasn't anywhere near the reason we lost

tooka

Casey and Frawley were playing behind a pack that was under severe pressure at times and all those forwards have very little game time at elite international level and playing together

people are being way too harsh on this team today.

molloyjh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269561#Comment_119269561

JOB was chasing the kick and the 50:22 came down Earls’ wing. Of the 2 back 3 players that should have been there, it shouldn’t have been Larmour.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269575#Comment_119269575

I don't think our pack was under massive pressure. We put together some really nice play and cut them open on multiple occasions, but so often we'd force the issue and make silly errors.

But I agree, the stick Casey and Frawley are getting is way ott.

tooka

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269636#Comment_119269636

on the forwards, I know what you mean

add in a sprinkle of the more experienced forwards and it’s a different game today

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269584#Comment_119269584

Earls was covering Larmours side and his side. That's why there was so much space to kick into

All I'm saying is that Earls did a lot more than he's been given credit for and the poor JOB kick along with poor defensive shape allowed the MABs to attack. It wasn't just this one isolated incident either.

Earls didn't have his best game but he played well as one of the few experienced players amongst a crew of novices and players known to be defensive weaknesses

TheRona

Ireland Squad:

and NZ:

A couple of interesting calls in both. Looking forward to it.

Former Former Former

Cian Healy?!

I think we're going to get hammered.

Earls, what is he even doing on the tour never mind starting a test. Mad selection.

rodge123

Earls starting after playing the full 80 yesterday? And Aki also played the full 80. Be very worried if Aki on early for someone other that earls getting injured.

Healy looked in a bad way with that injury too. Have they accidentally released the team sheet they put together before yesterdays game!

Burkie1203

Ed Byrne has been called up according to Jackman

Healy on the bench is surprising

OldRio

Earls? Seriously?

Healy? He looked in a bad way yesterday.

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269843#Comment_119269843

Hansen has covid and Conway and baloucoune are injured, arguably first three choice 14s, that’s why earls isn’t there

StevenToast

Thats why earls was so shìt against the Maoris...he knew he was doubling up!

KaneToad

Some eyebrow raisers there, Earls and O'Mahony.. not to mention Healy on the bench

Wegians89

Nothing being said of Bealham 17 and healy 18? Either there’s little faith healy will come through okay and o Toole will be needed or they reckon furlong has a bigger tank than Porter. Either way expect both starting props to go the guts of 70 min

cuttingtimber22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269843#Comment_119269843

Who would you select ahead of him? Who is fit?

roverjoyce

Jobs for the boys, showing you need a central contract to play

SaoPaulo41

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269947#Comment_119269947

Lowry or Larmour

Former Former Former

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2022/06/30/new-zealand-v-ireland-farrell-names-experienced-side-for-first-test/

Apparently Healy isn't as bad as first feared and being listed as sub tight head was correct. Hmmm, I'll be surprised if that's still the case come Saturday morning.

Sounds like Hume is done.

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119270110#Comment_119270110

That's a pity for Hume - This tour was a real opportunity for him and Balacoune and now both are out with injury.

CMcsporty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269843#Comment_119269843

I don’t think it’ll be a hammering. Bench looks miserable. Maybe a 15 point loss.

Earls playing is a farce.

I was holding out hope that Farrell was going to switch Keenan to 14 and bring in Lowry at FB.

typhoony

Just watched the match this morning and was a decent performance apart from the defensive line being completely disorganised for a couple of the tries, the tries didn't even come from multi-phase play so that was even more worrying.

typhoony

I think a 20 to 30 point loss is more likely, depends on how fresh the 1st 15 are after a long season. If fatigue kicks in it could be a 40 or 50 point loss

TRC10

I mean, it's almost exactly as expected. I thought Lowry would start 15 with Keenan on the wing, which would have been more interesting than Earls (34) starting who played 80 on Wednesday and wasn't great. But the starting XV is strong, it's the bench that looks very weak. Heffernan, Treadwell and Carbery are not ideal, and the depth in Irish rugby maybe isn't as strong as everyone says. Surely having O'Toole covering TH instead of Healy would be infinitely more beneficial with the world cup in mind? I don't understand that.

NZ are going to bring insane intensity from the start. They've spent the last 7 months getting slated by their press and they're angry. If you thought the Landsdowne Road game in 2016 two weeks after Chicago was physical...this will be on a different level. They will be going out to f*ck us up and kick the absolute sh*t out of us. I thought we looked quite leggy and sluggish on Wednesday. That can't be the case on Saturday or we'll get hammered. This isn't a vintage ABs team, but it's is going to be extremely tough. People say Ireland are in good form, but we haven't played well since the Wales game IMO. The NZ game in November was the peak of our performance under Farrell and we need to get up to that level again. But even at that, I can see them doing us in the last 20.

ionadnapokot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119270217#Comment_119270217

Baloucoune injury is really starting to hurt. Earls!! I mean what the hell?? That Leicester F' is going to destroy him.

I was hoping this tour would be a great springboard for the talent in Ulster.

Just dont understand why Doak isnt on tour. Casey played the full 80 yest!

TheRona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119270534#Comment_119270534

Does anyone know how games/minutes compares between the Irish and NZ players? I had a quick look up and it seems like the NZer's play a lot more rugby, with a lot of them having played at least as many matches as their Irish counterparts since they met in November, despite their season ending after the Autumn Internationals.