@derm-mccrum said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

Local weather forecast for KO time. Light breeze, Clear Sky, 11c and no rain. Sun in afternoon so hopefully a dry track by the evening.

Local weather forecast for KO time. Clear Sky, 11c and no rain. Sun in afternoon so hopefully a dry track.

@siam said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

@jc said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

Donncha O’Callaghan in today’s Times:

All Blacks deserve their status – they really do sweep the sheds

Who will win? Before we make the customary prediction, we should never lose sight of the fact that it is a commendable achievement to be facing New Zealand with no consensus as to who will edge things. They are No 1 in the world in their No 1 team sport. We are No 2 in our No 4 game.

That we’re up there with them is to the immense credit of Joe Schmidt, the ultimate example of a Kiwi who has changed our standards for the better, and the system which the IRFU has overseen in recent years. It is one based on getting the most out of a small pool.

We simply do not have the depth of athletes playing rugby that they do; if Beauden Barrett were Irish he would probably be a winger with that pace. Brodie Retallick’s power and mobility would mark him out as a No 8 instead of a lock.

Their whole country is invested in the All Blacks, physically and spiritually. We come from a tradition too, though, one which has climbed its way to the second rung of world rugby on the back of four professional teams. Our days of deferring to anybody, no matter how much we respect them, are over.

Still, I believe New Zealand will have enough to get over the line tomorrow. And between now and the World Cup they will only improve.

● Donncha O’Callaghan won 94 Ireland caps and played on two Lions tours

Great write up

This part reminded me that it is 2 small nations making the efficient best of their rugby resources. Kiwis take pride in what we achieve on the rugby paddock per capita and it's only fair that the Irish fans should to (with less resources).

Our shared rugby ethos should bring affinity not adversity.

I'm going to try to like those Irish buggers from now, best of luck you fullas.

Can't wait for this game!

Likewise, bud.
Meas mór (big respect) from this Ireland fan.

@rapido said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

vdF was awesome against us 2 years ago.

Irish have produced a lot of top loose forwards this decade.

They certainly have. Few more in the pipeline hopefully - Josh Murphy, Caelan Doris, Max Deegan at Leinster and Sean O’Brien (Mk 2) at Connacht. Conor Oliver at Munster and maybe Matty Rea at Ulster.

I put 40 on an a 1-12 Irish win earlier in the week. Losing Leavy has undermined that a bit. vdF will play his guts out but doesn't have the same heft or theft as either SOB/Leavy. And there's a report that Ringrose is carrying an injury which may take him out of the match at some point.

Ireland won't dominate the breakdown or win sufficient rucks so it's New Zealand's to lose is now my view.

@munstergreen said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

Hello all! Just logging in to say best of luck for tomorrow and may the better side win.

I've just seen that Dan Leavy has been ruled out with Van der Flier coming into the starting side and Jordi Murphy on to the bench.

Leavy has been superb and I'd have had him in ahead of O'Brien regardless of last weeks injury. It's a huge loss and while I was quietly confident even without O'Brien, Murray and Henshaw - I reckon Leavy is one loss too far. NZ by 8.

Bugger. Leavy is a big loss.
VdF has to have the game of his life.

@machpants said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

@billy-tell said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/autumn-internationals/neil-francis-the-all-blacks-are-the-most-cynical-rugby-team-in-the-world-37530495.html

It's behind a paywall, so I'll paraphrase for everyone "My pussy hurts, and I'm jealous of the ABs, so I'll slag them off"

Seriously? You couldn’t come up with anything else besides telling us that your vagina is sore?

@jegga said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

@derm-mccrum said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

@sparky said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

@machpants Don't know what Foster hopes to gain from criticising Aki for doing what was best for his career when Foster didn't pick him for higher honours.

Aki has been copping a fair bit this week from various sources. It's kind of like people just worked out that he's playing for Ireland now, but hey I'm sure he's shrugged it off.

There was some quite animated discussion about it here a few years back, some twat from the emerald Isle tried to claim it wasn't poaching . Apparently its not poaching there was a "tacit agreement" according to him.

There was talk/mockery about how ridiculous it was to give Michael Bent a jersey when he turned up at Dublin airport too.

Eh Tacit agreement was a phrase someone on here invented. What was the name of this twat?

@sparky said in Ireland Vs All Blacks:

@machpants Don't know what Foster hopes to gain from criticising Aki for doing what was best for his career when Foster didn't pick him for higher honours.

Aki has been copping a fair bit this week from various sources. It's kind of like people just worked out that he's playing for Ireland now, but hey I'm sure he's shrugged it off.