RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A)
-
@cgrant said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
Ireland by 30.
I was really wrong there. I underestimated Japan because of their trouncing by the hands of South Africa during the preparation phase. Now maybe they will face each other for the QF.
-
@taniwharugby said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@rotated no chance the ABs have prepared for the Irish though is there.
Sure they will. Both sides targeted last years Dublin test and the ABs came out on the wrong side of it.
I'm not making any predictions, but whoever plays Ireland in the QF will have to take their best shot and they will look a hell of a lot better than they did against Japan.
-
@rotated last year the focus was more England, a game that had been being talked up for 2 years, the Irish one only started looking more important in the few months leading in.
At the end of the day, I really dont give a shit who we play, I'd love to win it beating Ireland, England and Wales, and we will have to win every game any way, so who we meet is irrelevant.
-
@taniwharugby said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@rotated last year the focus was more England, a game that had been being talked up for 2 years, the Irish one only started looking more important in the few months leading in.
I think Hansen talked up the Ireland game more, but even if you are right it's hardly a stellar example of the management's ability to prepare for big games this cycle (ditto the Lions tour).
I don't care who we play either, but call me chicken little if I'm a bit more wary about a side that has depantsed the ABs twice in the past three years than Scotland/Japan who have never beaten the ABs in their history. A QF against Japan or Ireland would be great viewing, Scotland less so.
-
@taniwharugby said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@rotated last year the focus was more England, a game that had been being talked up for 2 years, the Irish one only started looking more important in the few months leading in.
At the end of the day, I really dont give a shit who we play, I'd love to win it beating Ireland, England and Wales, and we will have to win every game any way, so who we meet is irrelevant.
Framing it this way, at best just shifts the explanation to being evidence that nz can barely handle consecutive hard tests.
Gutted if we miss the 'easy' quarter. Because we ain't that good. Will need to win 3 toughies in a row now probably.
-
@Rapido as will Ireland if that is who we face, and I cant see them doing that on the evidence of thier play this year.
As someone else alluded to above, they are gonna have to play thier top lineup again, as they try to top thier pool.
It will be interesting to see if Japan can replicate that performance again, I'm not sure they can either.
-
@taniwharugby said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@Rapido as will Ireland if that is who we face, and I cant see them doing that on the evidence of thier play this year.
As someone else alluded to above, they are gonna have to play thier top lineup again, as they try to top thier pool.
It will be interesting to see if Japan can replicate that performance again, I'm not sure they can either.
I don't give a shit about Ireland's run in. They're likely no longer contenders, now. But they're potential party poopers. I prefer a Saf 07 run.
My own theory about 2015, which is a theory a tad disrespectful to Heyneke's boks, is that NZ spent far to much emotional energy in our 1/4 final dispatching a poor France, because we had demons to exorcise, leaving us still partially spent in our relatively brain dead semifinal performance that we squeaked past.
Great teams can still get past that, of course, we aren't great though. Were currently 'only' good.
-
@rotated said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@Crucial said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
I liked how JJ said that he had been planning this one for some time. A bit like how Schmidt had been planning Chicago for some time as a good chance to catch a better team on the hop.
Exactly why I have no interest in seeing Ireland for a QF, what game do you think they've been targeting since the pools were drawn? Not Japan that is for sure.
Bring it on.
What game do you think we are targeting given Dublin 2018?
-
@taniwharugby said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
I'd love to win it beating Ireland, England and Wales, and we will have to win every game any way, so who we meet is irrelevant.
I'm pretty excited about this prospect. Would be the most satisfying way to win it
-
-
@Snowy said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
Btw the Titanic was built in Ireland
Sort of. Belfast, I think.
I can't wait to meet Ireland. Put them back in the box.
Wales have beaten us too, but not many are alive to remember it.
Northern Ireland play with Ireland in test rugby and in their provincial comp so they can have an equal share of the titanic .
-
-
@Snowy said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
Northern Ireland play with Ireland in test rugby and in their provincial comp so they can have an equal share of the titanic .
Fair call. They can spread the disasters between themselves. We are probably on an IRA hit list now though...
Nah, The Provos are all about Gaelic not Rugby. The UVF and UDA are more likely
-
@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@Snowy said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
Btw the Titanic was built in Ireland
Sort of. Belfast, I think.
I can't wait to meet Ireland. Put them back in the box.
Wales have beaten us too, but not many are alive to remember it.
Northern Ireland play with Ireland in test rugby and in their provincial comp so they can have an equal share of the titanic .
they're all really British anyway
-
@mariner4life said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@Snowy said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
@jegga said in RWC: Japan v Ireland (Pool A):
Btw the Titanic was built in Ireland
Sort of. Belfast, I think.
I can't wait to meet Ireland. Put them back in the box.
Wales have beaten us too, but not many are alive to remember it.
Northern Ireland play with Ireland in test rugby and in their provincial comp so they can have an equal share of the titanic .
they're all really British anyway
They obviously want to be , Britain has understandable reasons for not agreeing.
