RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2)
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@reprobate out of interest, what does the RM/BB axis have to do to be proven?
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I am feeling more nervous than most about this game.
We have had a pretty crap year, got hammered by Aus, drew with the Boks, beat Argentina by just 4.
Beaten by Ireland last 2out of 3 times we played.
I think people have very short memories. Was only a few months ago that it was all doom and gloom. Now we beat the Boks, and a couple tier 2 nations and we are favorites again?If we can score some quick points we should be ok, but a grinding close game, has to be advantage Ireland.
And now you get a red card for just making eye contact with someone....
I'm excited for this game, but just not as confident as most people I guess. -
@Darren said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
I am feeling more nervous than most about this game.
We have had a pretty crap year, got hammered by Aus, drew with the Boks, beat Argentina by just 4.
Beaten by Ireland last 2out of 3 times we played.
I think people have very short memories. Was only a few months ago that it was all doom and gloom. Now we beat the Boks, and a couple tier 2 nations and we are favorites again?If we can score some quick points we should be ok, but a grinding close game, has to be advantage Ireland.
And now you get a red card for just making eye contact with someone....
I'm excited for this game, but just not as confident as most people I guess.For whom?
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@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@Darren said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
I am feeling more nervous than most about this game.
We have had a pretty crap year, got hammered by Aus, drew with the Boks, beat Argentina by just 4.
Beaten by Ireland last 2out of 3 times we played.
I think people have very short memories. Was only a few months ago that it was all doom and gloom. Now we beat the Boks, and a couple tier 2 nations and we are favorites again?If we can score some quick points we should be ok, but a grinding close game, has to be advantage Ireland.
And now you get a red card for just making eye contact with someone....
I'm excited for this game, but just not as confident as most people I guess.For whom?
You don't remember after we lost to Aus? I'm sure you could go back and read what people were saying.
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@Darren said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@Darren said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
I am feeling more nervous than most about this game.
We have had a pretty crap year, got hammered by Aus, drew with the Boks, beat Argentina by just 4.
Beaten by Ireland last 2out of 3 times we played.
I think people have very short memories. Was only a few months ago that it was all doom and gloom. Now we beat the Boks, and a couple tier 2 nations and we are favorites again?If we can score some quick points we should be ok, but a grinding close game, has to be advantage Ireland.
And now you get a red card for just making eye contact with someone....
I'm excited for this game, but just not as confident as most people I guess.For whom?
You don't remember after we lost to Aus? I'm sure you could go back and read what people were saying.
Well it wasn't for me.
It's simply this - we're going to get beaten sometimes. Probably particularly more likely in the year or so leading up to the RWC, when the coaches/selectors are looking at various things they wouldn't necessarily be in the years before that. But if as an AB fan you can't be decently confident of success, after what we've seen the last ten years and looking at what/how the team has been building this year - when can you be?
We might lose, but I'll be surprised if we do.
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@canefan said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@rotated said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@canefan said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@sparky said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
We avoid Barnes and Garces.
No complaints with Nigel Owens officiating of the All Blacks to date.
Wasn't Owens in charge against SA in SA when they bypassed protocol on a try decision when it screened at the ground?
That was Clancy.
Owens had the Wellington test last year and one of the tests with Donald at 10 in 2009. Maybe one more Bledisloe loss in there somewhere?
Clancy, the Irishman with the French name? Figures
Jesus Christ
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@Frye said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@canefan said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@rotated said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@canefan said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@sparky said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
We avoid Barnes and Garces.
No complaints with Nigel Owens officiating of the All Blacks to date.
Wasn't Owens in charge against SA in SA when they bypassed protocol on a try decision when it screened at the ground?
That was Clancy.
Owens had the Wellington test last year and one of the tests with Donald at 10 in 2009. Maybe one more Bledisloe loss in there somewhere?
Clancy, the Irishman with the French name? Figures
Jesus Christ
They probably all look the same to him.
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@reprobate said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@mofitzy_ said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@reprobate said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
Ireland are a good side, who lack depth at 10. We seem to think they're shit now because they were beaten by Japan and thumped by England before the WC. But both games no Sexton. You can't play 10 man rugby without a 10.
They lost to England and Wales this year in the 6N with Sexton, both significant losses on the scoreboard too. If you look at both games they were full strength or thereabouts yet were bullied.
Yep, is our form so much better? That Welsh game is why the Irish hate Gardner incidentally, 1 try each but Anscombe kicked 6 penalties.
When was the last time we lost 4 games in a calendar year? Agree that our form isn't brilliant but going on recent results they are in a worse position.
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@reprobate Our reserve props concern me. Ofa at tighthead is fine but not sure he's good enough on the other side. Angus as a scrummager is average. Ofa at TH and Big Karl would have been better bench options imo.
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@akan004 I agree, Iv'e thought this since the team was named. I would feel a lot safer with them coming on to close out a game, or even one of them with Owen Franks, especially against the likes of England.
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The teams from the 2018 test to compare with this weeks teams when they are named. The AB's could have as many as 8 personal and 2 positional changes in the starting xv from that game.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@akan004 I agree, Iv'e thought this since the team was named. I would feel a lot safer with them coming on to close out a game, or even one of them with Owen Franks, especially against the likes of England.
So you rate Marler and Genge that highly?
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@Bones Its more my worries about Ofa's inexperience at loosehead and Ta'avao's history of inconsistent scrummaging (they are both very tall for props 194 and 195) being targeted by experienced props getting under them and causing us problems and risking penalties. England seem to be aiming to start with Marler and Sinckler and then finish with Vunipola and Coles? Hopefully they prove me wrong and Angus scores the winning try in the final!
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@Daffy-Jaffy I have no problem with the rest of their games (carrying, defence, lineout) they are both excellent) it is only re the scrum. While I understand how they suit the desired game plan I was just a bit uncomfortable with leaving effectively our two best scrummagers (Franks and Karl T) at home. In Cron we trust I guess. Anyway Lets get past Ireland first before we worry about the Poms (he said taking a a deep breath and crossing his fingers).
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@Daffy-Jaffy I have no problem with the rest of their games (carrying, defence, lineout) they are both excellent) it is only re the scrum. While I understand how they suit the desired game plan I was just a bit uncomfortable with leaving effectively our two best scrummagers (Franks and Karl T) at home. In Cron we trust I guess. Anyway Lets get past Ireland first before we worry about the Poms (he said taking a a deep breath and crossing his fingers).
That said, Owen and Karl didn't do that much for us in Dublin last year!
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@Daffy-Jaffy I have no problem with the rest of their games (carrying, defence, lineout) they are both excellent) it is only re the scrum. While I understand how they suit the desired game plan I was just a bit uncomfortable with leaving effectively our two best scrummagers (Franks and Karl T) at home. In Cron we trust I guess. Anyway Lets get past Ireland first before we worry about the Poms (he said taking a a deep breath and crossing his fingers).
I can understand that, however I don't see Ta'avao and Tungafasi that far behind their peers if at all. Plus, just what is so great about Franks' scrummaging these days? Dare I say it, it's a bit of a myth these days...
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@Darren said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
I think people have very short memories. Was only a few months ago that it was all doom and gloom. Now we beat the Boks, and a couple tier 2 nations and we are favorites again?
If the ABs lose on Sunday the last 4 years (especially Lions series onwards) will be revised pretty quickly. In 1999 at the QF stage we had smacked England in pool play following 3/4 good performances in the 3N. The general consensus was that the 1998 duldrums were a road bump and it was business as usual.
I worry the same thing this time. What passage of quality rugby have they played against strong opposition in the past 12 months? The Eden Park Bledisloe and 20 minutes against the Boks?
At least in 2003 there was a mountain of evidence to show they had turned the corner.
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@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):
@reprobate out of interest, what does the RM/BB axis have to do to be proven?
What more did Cullen need to do to look good as a centre?
