All Blacks v Ireland II
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Hmmmm.
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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.
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@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.
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@mariner4life said in Ireland II:
I'm just fucking astounded the world's premier halfback has one bad game and everyone wants him dropped.
He got hooked against the Boks earlier in the year for being average and in the mean time TJP has taken massive strides. His returns post the Wales series and Bledisloe I have been middling.
That said there are some players who are core to the team and you have to give them every chance to fight their way out of it. Smith deserves the big stage and another crack at it.
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@mariner4life said in Ireland II:
I'm just fucking astounded the world's premier halfback has one bad game and everyone wants him dropped.
total knee-jerk. smith is the best halfback in the world, in all contexts except our forwards getting smashed. are we really willing to concede that that is going to happen?
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@reprobate said in Ireland II:
crockett was very good against italy. regardless of moody's shit in the first one, i have thought crockett should be getting the lion's share of those minutes on ability for some time. why not moody for 20 then crockett for 60?
Crockett was awesome from the pieces I saw and I understand the scrum was good against a strong Italian pack
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@Crucial yeah he was really good. moody scrums solidly, but he has nothing on crockett anywhere else, and it is not often crockett lets the scrum down, for a few years now. just makes sense to me to have the better player on the field for longer.
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I'm fucking astounded that people have forgotten Aaron Smith vs Argentina, though that wouldn't tally with; bleating about just "one poor game", or most importantly ignoring TJP's 2016 form, (or blaming everything on two cretins making a recording.)
Either way, it looks like the days of Smith playing 75 minutes for the AB's are less likely... so it's essentially people getting fucking astounded at which side of a 50/30 minute split you argue for.
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@reprobate said in Ireland II:
crockett was very good against italy. regardless of moody's shit in the first one, i have thought crockett should be getting the lion's share of those minutes on ability for some time. why not moody for 20 then crockett for 60?
Agree, I think Crockett is in his prime now. Scrummaging more then solid and he's a fucking wrecking ball around the paddock. He's a great impact player but I'd rather he start.
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isn't this what everyone has been wanting around AB selections? People were tired of the team picking itself, so much stability, so much winning...
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@taniwharugby said in Ireland II:
isn't this what everyone has been wanting around AB selections? People were tired of the team picking itself, so much stability, so much winning...
Arguing selections is always half the fun. Especially when my team doesn't have to actually take to the park.
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@taniwharugby said in Ireland II:
isn't this what everyone has been wanting around AB selections? People were tired of the team picking itself, so much stability, so much winning...
Is it too early to state what the actual team will be? Naahhhh
- W. Crockett
- C. Taylor
- O. Franks
- L. Romano
- S. Whitelock
- S. Barrett
- M. Todd
- K. Read
- T. Lander
- T. Cane
- T. Blue
- R. Crotty
- A. Lienart-Brown
- I. Dagg
- D. McKenzie
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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.
