All Blacks v Ireland II
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I refuse to pick my halfback on reasons based around my forward pack playing like fairies
TJP has got better, but he still has an inaccurate pass, Smith still the superior player, Smith to start
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@Billy-Tell said in Ireland II:
@profitius said in Ireland II:
The Ireland side will probably remain unchanged. Peter O'Mahony will be the only change in the squad and whether or not he starts is the question.
I don't think we (Ireland) will win this one. There are a few good reasons. Obviously the ABs will be firm favourites but from an Ireland point of view, everything went to plan in Chicago and thats unlikely to happen twice in a row. Hansen will be analysing the match and will strengthen areas the ABs got caught out, like the maul, not giving penalties away, garryowens etc. And in Chicago the ABs still scored 4 tries.
Ireland can still make it a tough game and they'll do the same again... mainly not give the ball away too easily. The Ireland defence is good and even the forwards are athletic and fairly fit. More mobile than the Australians and South Africans while probably being more physical than the Argentinians. Andy Farrell has made a massive difference since taking over in the summer and that might have caught the ABs off guard in the first test. It was interesting to see the ABs kick-pass the ball so much against the Italians. It was almost like they were practising it. I'd say we might see a bit of that next week.
So I would say business for the ABs but sport can throw up surprises. The weather will be a bit different than it was in Chicago.
It's a cliché, but Ireland don't do "not the underdog" very well. So on the one hand, expectation will be ramped up, on the other hand surely NZ won't play as badly as they did in Chicago?
If I were Hansen, I would play some territory (Ireland don't remotely have the same ability to strike long-distance tries as NZ) put pressure on the Irish halves (hopefully resulting in Sexton spitting the dummy), don't give away silly penalties that allow Ireland to kick to the corner and maul, compete better on the high ball etc.
I think the match could be very close though, especially if Ireland start well.
Eh, BT. If you're thinking that Ireland is not the underdog in this or any match with New Zealand then I'll have some of what you're having. Ireland will be braced for a backlash, have no fear. However, a team bent on revenge, can also trip up. The odds are still with NZ but I hope Ireland give them a match and that NZ have to fight for the win as opposed to stroll in 5 tries in the last 20 minutes as Ireland blow up.
With Jordi Murphy out, then Schmidt has to consider which flanker combo from vdF, SOB, POM, and CJ does he go for, and who would be best off the bench. I reckon he'll drop O'Mahony and put vdF on the bench.
Will he look at Earls for the backline? Possibly a bench spot and let Trimble and Zebo keep their places. Jackson instead of Carbery probably, in case Sexton gets targeted/injured/stubs his toe..
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Yup TJP's pass still worries me, and our attack relies on quick accurate ball from our 9.
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Bugger you Mariner I thought I had sorted out my halfback selection for this week and then you come up with that post.
Absolutely dead right, since when do we pick any player because our forwards played like fairies.Smith it is.
BB for the same reason because the forwards will play like non-fairies and Smith will send bullets his way and he will make the Irish defence look very porous.
Todd on bench because Ardie doesn't like breakdowns and we have to smash these bastards.
Barrett on bench if BBBR and Sam start because he applies himself every minute he is on the field. No point in being big and strong like Pat T if you take a holiday during the game.ALB and Fekitoa because the prospect of Seta starting scares the hell out of me. He just looks lost in the matches he has played so far.
Dagg just has to start. End of story. Two wingers with dubious form is one too many and I think it has to be Jules due to experience.Also I want him to overtake that muppet Howlett's try scoring record after I saw pics of him seriously enjoying the victory over the ABs in Chicago with some Irish teammates. In the accompanying report he referred to the ABs as "a team I used to play for". Now that really pissed me off.T
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@Jimmy-Jimmy holy fuck that Dougie thing better be a typo or a misunderstanding
With the locks, i would go Barrett if we need a starter, and Patty T as the bench option no matter what.
I like Crockett off the bench, but Moody is giving me the shits with his dumb as fuck yellow cards, and needs to sit out.
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Mariner I don't know how to put things up here from other sources but if you google Doug Howlett and Paul O'Connell you will find articles about the pair. One of the articles mentions that Howlett seems to have had his loyalties scrambled. I can forgive him for jumping on car bonnets but not this.
So come on Jules, five more and the record is yours.
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My own $0.02 worth on the team selection:
- W. Crockett
- D. Coles
- O. Franks
- B. Retallick
- S. Whitelock
- J. Kaino
- S. Cane
- K Read
- A. Smith
- B. Barrett
- J. Savea
- A. Lienart-Brown
- M. Fekitoa
- I. Dagg
- B. Smith
Reserves
16. C. Taylor
17. J. Moody
18. C. Faumuina
19. L. Squire
20. A. Savea
21. T. Perenara
22. L. SopoagaPersonally this is my team. I think Smith and Barrett need to start as they are our clear No. 1's in their respective positions.
I would rather see Sopoaga on the bench as I think he brings a steady hand whereas I don't think Cruden really offers anything off the bench.And yes, I've gone for speed off the bench with both Squire and Ardie.
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you're fucking dead to me Douglas
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Thank you very much Donsteppa.
Mariner, make that x 2
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Hopefully Hansen and the other 14 players on the field all read the Fern and make this happen because that fucking record has to go.
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The NZRU has gone into damage control as in light of recent reports, it was revealed that someone from rugby HQ was deployed to remove Douglas Charles Howlett from all All Blacks reference material including the coveted leading try scorer record.
The NZ Herald contacted Christian Cullen in wake of the news, he was surprisingly delighted with the news, but it was clear that his long held view that he was robbed of holding it outright by Mitchell was still raw. NZ Herald spoke briefly with Joe Rokocoko who said "no comment".
Julian Savea now only needs two tries to be the All Black leader.
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Stargazer it is not the media it is a whole lot of fans as well.
ACT Crusader nice bit of sarcasm but we do not need the NZRU to do anything as Jules will soon hold it anyway otherwise it will be a re-run of the " does 18 unbeaten really count anyway because Cyprus has 24".
Come on Jules do it for us.
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@ACT-Crusader haha I just tried to look him up to see if removing him from the record books would affect Haymans coveted AB 1,000 as I couldn't remember who was capped first....
I do note the full web address has 1099 at the end so assume Hayman is safe.
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Having a laugh with some mates doesnt necessarily translate to supporting Ireland over NZ, media might be jumping the gun there
But on suspicion , his NZ citizenship should be cancelled anyway
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Just referring to the ABs as a team I used to play for is enough for me to agree with the passport withdrawal.
