RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland
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@Derm-McCrum Hansen is an upgrade on Earls.
Aki vs Henshaw (2022) is pretty even. Henshaw was in fine form then. Ireland lose more when Ringrose doesn't play. V underrated player (Conrad Smith like in intelligence).
Forwards on subs bench is stronger overall now for Ireland. Kelleher > Herring. Henderson/Ryan > Treadwell. Healy is a big miss though.
Backs on subs bench is debatable - Carbery = Crowley (though Crowley is showing heaps of potential). McCloskey is a v good centre, but losing an outside back from the run on XV means Ireland lose real potency out wide against top opposition. You may get away with playing Ringrose or JGP against Scotland, but not against France, SA or NZ IMO.
Of the backline, I think Hugo Keenan is the player Ireland can least afford to lose. There isn't anyone else of his calibre on the squad.
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A mate has today secured a pair of cat 1 tickets so it looks like I’ll unexpectedly be spending Sat night in Paris … and I’m back for both semis the following weekend. F*** I hope I get to enjoy both trips.
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looking back to the last time we played Ireland, we are so much better than we were then
Fullback: J Barrett was okay, B Barrett is frustrating us all. Lets call it even
Wings: Reece/Jordan v Jordan/Telea. This Jordan is better than the 2022 version that was feeling his way back in. Telea is better than Reece. 2023 wins
Centre: Ioane/Ioane even
2nd 5: Havili v JBarrett. A nothing player against a big lump who will get us on the front foot and can throw a dinky little pass. Huge upgrade for 2023
1st 5: BBarrett v Mo'unga. This was the death throws of BB at 10, and while RM is hardly a world beater, he's significantly better than 2022 BB
9: Smith/Smith even
Loose Forwards. Cane/Savea/A Ioane v Cane/Savea/Frizzell 2023 wins this by virtue of Frizzell's current form and the way he plays making the others, particularly Savea, better.
Locks: Retallick/Whitelock v SBarrett/Retallic (assumed) 2023. Retallick wasn't in great form, SBarrett has grown and grown and now plays with the aggression and accuracy we need
Props: Bower/Laulala v actually we don't know yet. This could be even though you could argue that Laulala has improved. If Lomax can play then 2023 is ahead
Hooker: Taylor/Coles v Taylor/ST I give this to 2023 just, as Taylor is playing better, but ST has dropped away a little. It wouldn't shock me to see Coles in the 16 shirt this weekendBench: This is telling
Coles, Karl T, Ofa, Vaa'i Paps, Fakatava, Mo'unga, RTS v
Coles/ST, Props, Whitelock, Paps, Roigard, Dmac, ALB
This is a huge improvement. There is genuine impact and experience there. That 2022 bench is so ordinary.Ireland have the same players playing the same way. We lost that game by 10 points, and this AB side is more than 10 points better than June 2022.
@mariner4life said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
looking back to the last time we played Ireland, we are so much better than we were then
Fullback: J Barrett was okay, B Barrett is frustrating us all. Lets call it even
Wings: Reece/Jordan v Jordan/Telea. This Jordan is better than the 2022 version that was feeling his way back in. Telea is better than Reece. 2023 wins
Centre: Ioane/Ioane even
2nd 5: Havili v JBarrett. A nothing player against a big lump who will get us on the front foot and can throw a dinky little pass. Huge upgrade for 2023
1st 5: BBarrett v Mo'unga. This was the death throws of BB at 10, and while RM is hardly a world beater, he's significantly better than 2022 BB
9: Smith/Smith even
Loose Forwards. Cane/Savea/A Ioane v Cane/Savea/Frizzell 2023 wins this by virtue of Frizzell's current form and the way he plays making the others, particularly Savea, better.
Locks: Retallick/Whitelock v SBarrett/Retallic (assumed) 2023. Retallick wasn't in great form, SBarrett has grown and grown and now plays with the aggression and accuracy we need
Props: Bower/Laulala v actually we don't know yet. This could be even though you could argue that Laulala has improved. If Lomax can play then 2023 is ahead
Hooker: Taylor/Coles v Taylor/ST I give this to 2023 just, as Taylor is playing better, but ST has dropped away a little. It wouldn't shock me to see Coles in the 16 shirt this weekendBench: This is telling
Coles, Karl T, Ofa, Vaa'i Paps, Fakatava, Mo'unga, RTS v
Coles/ST, Props, Whitelock, Paps, Roigard, Dmac, ALB
This is a huge improvement. There is genuine impact and experience there. That 2022 bench is so ordinary.Ireland have the same players playing the same way. We lost that game by 10 points, and this AB side is more than 10 points better than June 2022.
Beautiful
I'm feeling better -
A mate has today secured a pair of cat 1 tickets so it looks like I’ll unexpectedly be spending Sat night in Paris … and I’m back for both semis the following weekend. F*** I hope I get to enjoy both trips.
@scribe enjoy bro. The nerves from both sets of fans will be palpable, will certainly be an occasion whoever gets up.
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Come on Sir Foz you got this
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No issue with Barnes. Everyone makes mistakes and sure he would go back and change things if he could... Generally I find him a good ref.
@thelemmning70 said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
No issue with Barnes. Everyone makes mistakes and sure he would go back and change things if he could... Generally I find him a good ref.
@thelemmning70 said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
No issue with Barnes. Everyone makes mistakes and sure he would go back and change things if he could... Generally I find him a good ref.
My problem with Barnes is that he will do 99 things will in every test, but then have one absolute howler that just makes no sense to anyone with any real understanding of the game of rugby union football. I just pray that we are on the right side of that stinker this time around.
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Barnes is a great ref, good result.
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@voodoo said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
I’m genuinely happy to have Barnes
Mr "absorbing tackle"?
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@voodoo said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
I’m genuinely happy to have Barnes
Mr "absorbing tackle"?
@antipodean said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@voodoo said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
I’m genuinely happy to have Barnes
Mr "absorbing tackle"?
You'd rather someone else? Or are you agreeing?
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@voodoo said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
I’m genuinely happy to have Barnes
Mr "absorbing tackle"?
@antipodean maybe he's gone through his learnings too
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I hope they are good in that space
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@stodders care to post the gist for those of us that aren't going to pay for whinging Irishness?
@Bones All Blacks have better players in their starting XV compared to what Ireland faced in test series last year (better props, better backrow balance, better flyhalf, better 12, better wings), their bench is much stronger and they have better assistant coaches.
Alas, Foster is still head coach
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Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU) -
I'd say that Aussie-Irish Hansen has a greater grasp of Irish language than James Ryan although he has got strong political family history connections.
Bundee learned off the Irish anthem before setting foot on the pitch in his first cap which was impressive.
