Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2
-
A few random thoughts.....
Not a great advertisement for the game, but a win is a win is a win. Unsure whether the early injuries to Barrett x 2 and their replacements was a lucky break from the gods a la Sititu or not, but Big Leicester and Lord did OK and the former will rightly pose some selection questions.
Putting his play aside, thought Ardie did pretty well as captain. When things weren't looking great he steadied the side and they weathered periods of pressure pretty well. I feel more comfortable with him at the helm in tight games than Scooter.
Jordan seems wasted at 15. Sure, he's good under the high ball, but lacks flair for me and looks a bit tentative at times. Needs to go back to wing IMHO, where he's a constant danger. Speaking of wings, Clarke and Carter were good tonight. Like Carter's hunger for work.
Best bench and impact use for a long, long time. Liked the way the early (and TBF green) replacements fitted in and their impact from 65 mins or so was outstanding
Still not sure what the game-plan is. Play shit for 60 minutes with BB at the helm to lull the opposition into a false sense of security and then bring DMac on?
Overall, the same old mistakes and careless play we've seen in the past in the early part of the game, but really like the way we weathered the storm (had that now-common sinking feeling we'd go to pieces again) and struck when the Oirish tired. The score-line may have flattered us, but we held on and took our chances better than they did.
-
@Bovidae said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
@brodean said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
Thats all well and good but at the end of the day they won 100% of their scrums and we didn't. The scrum improved in the second half. We should be absolutely dominating a scrum with Porter at loosehead.
I would also say that the reserve Irish props like Bealham are average, and the LH was on debut. Tougher opponents to follow.
The young kid will be a regular soon
Great potential
-
@Victor-Meldrew What is the aversion to starting DMac at 10 Been the trend for a year
-
@BerniesCorner said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
@Victor-Meldrew What is the aversion to starting DMac at 10 Been the trend for a year
I can only think it's part of the game-plan. Play boring, forward-biased rugby to tire out the opposition and then open up the game with DMac when the opposition tires...
-
@sparky said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
@Chris-B In the 2008 Grand Slam tour, the All Blacks only conceded 24 points and not a single try.
Of course, that 2008 team had the fabulous Crusaders McCaw and Carter wearing the 7 and 10 jerseys, while this outfit has to make do with the ex-Hurricanes Savea and Barrett.
I presume that "absolutely, positively" slogan is long gone from the capital?
-
@ACT-Crusader said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
@Frank said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
Our scrum is strong against everyone bar the Boks. Unless we come up with a strategy to negate Wilco Louw, they'll win scrum penalties at will.
Lomax and EDG struggled against the Bok scrum, but things were far better with Newell on.
Louw is a tight head and so is Newell.
More important to ask which of our looseheads can contain him.
The evidence so far is none, neither Williams nor DeGroot.
Although I think not having Taylor hurt things. -
@kiwiinmelb said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
@His-Bobness said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
@kev The Kiwi-born Ireland players demonstrating the tendency of eager-to-please recent immigrants to ape and magnify the worst aspects of the host culture - in this case being obnoxious, petulant whingers with a built-in victim mentality
I think deep down these guys carry a chip with nz because they never got a look in at higher honours and their satisfaction comes with trying to prove a point they were good enough.
Nah, Lowe is the same douche no matter who he's playing.
-
@taniwharugby said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
Social media loves him
#manofthepeople
#peopleschampionFor a guy who never uses his shoulders to tackle, having all of that tape seems like a real waste.
-
@Bones said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
@kiwiinmelb said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
@His-Bobness said in Ireland v All Blacks - Chicago2:
@kev The Kiwi-born Ireland players demonstrating the tendency of eager-to-please recent immigrants to ape and magnify the worst aspects of the host culture - in this case being obnoxious, petulant whingers with a built-in victim mentality
I think deep down these guys carry a chip with nz because they never got a look in at higher honours and their satisfaction comes with trying to prove a point they were good enough.
Nah, Lowe is the same douche no matter who he's playing.
I don't really watch any NH club rugby, but I'm surprised he is still getting picked, just screams washed up journeyman to me. Offers no threat ball in hand and is quite error ridden, only thing he seems to bring to the table is a decent boot which is not that important for a winger. Do they really not have any quick youngsters coming through at all?
-
I know Soldier Field is an iconic venue with Lake Michigan on one side and the backdrop of Downtown Chicago on the other, but it was a terrible venue yesterday for a game of international Rugby.
The pitch was in awful condition and too small. The big screens did screen weren't on.
When the ABs play again in the USA, I hope they play somewhere else.
-
-
@mohikamo Although no date is yet set for the building of the new stadium and getting permission to build on Museum Campus is going to be complex.
Chicago is one of 26 US cities alongside one Canadian one which has applied to host 2031 Rugby World Cup games.
The applicant cities are: Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles Region, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, St. Louis, Vancouver, and Washington DC.
-
@mohikamo A quick Google search and I see the Bears plans have rightly moved on from Museum Campus. The plan is a venue with a roof that could host the 2031 Super Bowl so should be ready for the World Cup that year too.
Bears CEO: Arlington Heights only viable option for new stadium
The Chicago Bears will open their season on "Monday Night Football" against the division rival Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field, but the historic stadium's days as the Bears' home may be numbered.
-
An AB game in Salt Lake City would get a decent crowd as would somewhere like San Diego or even Vegas.
-
@ACT-Crusader Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia would be perfect. 67,000 capacity venue. Iconic modern stadium. Natural grass pitch. Great transport links.
-
I've got to give razor some small credit on yesterday...... The first 60 minutes was dire to watch but......
He got his selections for this match right. When you select the right starting XV and equally as importantly an impactful bench you give yourself a chance to win a match even if you are playing badly because the players can eventually work it out.
I think what is happening on the training paddock is not bearing much fruit but at least his selections appear to be getting better.
-
-
It's on the Bears website.
The Arlington Park Stadium | Chicago Bears
The new world-class home of the Chicago Bears will feature a greater degree of enjoyment on game day for fans, with a layout to reduce crowding on concourses, increased fan-to-restroom ratios, and improved food options with state-of-the-art technology to reduce check-out times throughout the...
But some local politicians aren't happy.
Bears say they would set aside $25M for Chicago amid stadium move to suburbs
The Chicago Bears said in a letter to lawmakers earlier this month that they would set aside $25 million for Chicago and the Chicago Park District amid their stadium move to Arlington Heights.
While the Bears are promising more than $2 billion to fund a new, fixed-roof stadium, the team is also seeking $855 million in public funding for infrastructure to "jumpstart the redevelopment potential" of the Arlington Park site.
-
Back to the game ... Williams and Tosi not only won scrum penalties but using their 140 Kgs+ with energy into the rucks allowed to get quick ball, at last, which changed the whole face of the game. Sititi also hit rucks with force. This physicality was something against which the Irish substitutes had no answer. Gus McCarthy is weighing 107 kg, about 40 kgs less than Tosi. Scrum is a technical matter, I know, but McCarthy really struggled at scrum time and was nowhere to be seen in the rucks. Bealham did not fare better against Williams.
