RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland
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Mystic Meg is going with his heart, but his head is telling him differently:
When it came time to making a final prediction, the legendary scrum-half was reluctant to go against his home country, even as he acknowledged that he doesn’t know if they will be good enough to beat Ireland.
"My prediction is New Zealand and as you can see, I’m not totally convinced that is going to happen. I hope in my heart that New Zealand can find that performance, but Ireland are the best team in the world and the only way you can beat the best team in the world is to play out of your skin. New Zealand need to find that right now.”
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@Derm-McCrum said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
Much amusement that Gregor Paul of the NZ Herald seems to have misunderstood the long-standing joke between Irish and SA fans about Josh van der Flier being from Wicklow in South Africa. :backhand_index_pointing_down_light_skin_tone:
The secret to reading Gregor Paul articles is to ensure you enjoy the fish'n'chips that they are wrapped around as the grease and torn paper will hopefully make the article a thoughtful but unfinished "what if" rather than something that should be put straight into the bin.
@PecoTrain said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Derm-McCrum said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
Much amusement that Gregor Paul of the NZ Herald seems to have misunderstood the long-standing joke between Irish and SA fans about Josh van der Flier being from Wicklow in South Africa. :backhand_index_pointing_down_light_skin_tone:
The secret to reading Gregor Paul articles is to ensure you enjoy the fish'n'chips that they are wrapped around as the grease and torn paper will hopefully make the article a thoughtful but unfinished "what if" rather than something that should be put straight into the bin.
Eating fish and chips off your mobile phone? Is that a New Zealand thing now? Pretty small portions.
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(a) We are a better team than in the series last year.
(b) Ireland were well on top in the 1st game last year, until Sexton got a head knock and went off.
@Tim said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
(a) We are a better team than in the series last year.
(b) Ireland were well on top in the 1st game last year, until Sexton got a head knock and went off.
I'm outraged. What are you suggesting should happen JJ Sexminx in the match?
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@PecoTrain Oh dear. Takes all of 2 seconds to check that one, even if your entire career wasn’t based on knowing everything going on in Rugby. Guess he thought he was too good to be Irish.
@game_film said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@PecoTrain Oh dear. Takes all of 2 seconds to check that one, even if your entire career wasn’t based on knowing everything going on in Rugby. Guess he thought he was too good to be Irish.
Thought it was more that he'd probably never heard of him before....
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You know you're up against it when one of your own legends is tipping the green machine:
"I’d love to think the All Blacks have got one in us to get one over the Irish, but it’s a game that if it was played 10 times, the All Blacks could win three or four."
He must have been speaking to @Dodge
@stodders great to see a former All Black great saying what many of us are thinking
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@MiketheSnow Ryan was on the bench against Scotland. Henderson started.
So Ryan out, McCarthy in is the only change.
Strong, settled team. They are battle hardened, but they have also played a fair bit too. Compare the NZ backrow playing minutes to Ireland's:
Image taken from this post on X:
https://x.com/Selfimprove_Man/status/1712014608557338881?s=20
@stodders said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@MiketheSnow Ryan was on the bench against Scotland. Henderson started.
So Ryan out, McCarthy in is the only change.
Strong, settled team. They are battle hardened, but they have also played a fair bit too. Compare the NZ backrow playing minutes to Ireland's:
Image taken from this post on X:
https://x.com/Selfimprove_Man/status/1712014608557338881?s=20
That is very interesting to see just how many minutes the Ireland top team have had. Shows how important their core players are but also shows why they are so well drilled and organised, they play a shitload of minutes together which simply can't be earnt on the training field. I'm surprised Ioane has only played 172 minutes in 4 games compared to 259 for ringrose or 320 for Aki.
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@stodders said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@MiketheSnow Ryan was on the bench against Scotland. Henderson started.
So Ryan out, McCarthy in is the only change.
Strong, settled team. They are battle hardened, but they have also played a fair bit too. Compare the NZ backrow playing minutes to Ireland's:
Image taken from this post on X:
https://x.com/Selfimprove_Man/status/1712014608557338881?s=20
That is very interesting to see just how many minutes the Ireland top team have had. Shows how important their core players are but also shows why they are so well drilled and organised, they play a shitload of minutes together which simply can't be earnt on the training field. I'm surprised Ioane has only played 172 minutes in 4 games compared to 259 for ringrose or 320 for Aki.
@chimoaus said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@stodders said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@MiketheSnow Ryan was on the bench against Scotland. Henderson started.
So Ryan out, McCarthy in is the only change.
Strong, settled team. They are battle hardened, but they have also played a fair bit too. Compare the NZ backrow playing minutes to Ireland's:
Image taken from this post on X:
https://x.com/Selfimprove_Man/status/1712014608557338881?s=20
That is very interesting to see just how many minutes the Ireland top team have had. Shows how important their core players are but also shows why they are so well drilled and organised, they play a shitload of minutes together which simply can't be earnt on the training field. I'm surprised Ioane has only played 172 minutes in 4 games compared to 259 for ringrose or 320 for Aki.
He had one game off.
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@game_film said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@PecoTrain Oh dear. Takes all of 2 seconds to check that one, even if your entire career wasn’t based on knowing everything going on in Rugby. Guess he thought he was too good to be Irish.
Thought it was more that he'd probably never heard of him before....
@Derm-McCrum Gregor Paul is a Jock, who just happens to masquerade as a NZ rugby journo. Best to ignore him - we do.
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@BerniesCorner would the French in the crowd want Ireland or us?
Assuming France were to make the final, you reckon they'd love nothing more than smashing us in the final?
@taniwharugby said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@BerniesCorner would the French in the crowd want Ireland or us?
Assuming France were to make the final, you reckon they'd love nothing more than smashing us in the final?
It’s what I’d want if my forebearers hadn’t been chased out of France.
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@booboo said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
In case it hasn't been mentioned ...
https://twitter.com/AllBlacks/status/1712034563697045611?t=1XHU4Qh6RvC3NV32ZhaRnQ&s=19
6pm CET Thursday = 2am AEST = 4am NZST
All is right with the world.
6pm CET Thursday = 3am AEDT = 5am NZDT
@ACT-Crusader said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@booboo said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
In case it hasn't been mentioned ...
https://twitter.com/AllBlacks/status/1712034563697045611?t=1XHU4Qh6RvC3NV32ZhaRnQ&s=19
6pm CET Thursday = 2am AEST = 4am NZST
All is right with the world.
6pm CET Thursday = 3am AEDT = 5am NZDT
Ah, so we're both right? Forgot the normal parts of the world do daylight saving.
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Nugget 1:
"From a New Zealand perspective though it’s been all too easy, and I have my doubts about how beneficial it’s been for a group that has struggled consistently for form under Ian Foster to a point where they felt the need to parachute Joe Schmidt into the mix to try and bring direction and stability.
I know from experience that Joe instils confidence in players over time, but he hasn’t really had a great deal of that nor is he driving the ship. Ian Foster is still at the helm and from the outside looks keen to reinforce that at every opportunity in the media."
Nugget 2:
"This match is historic in many ways, Ireland the number one team desperate to break their quarter-final glass ceiling, New Zealand desperate to salvage respect at home to an unforgiving fan base that demands success; the winner more than likely to make a World Cup final.
Ireland have grown accustomed to the pressure that has come with being world number. They know they will have to be good, create and execute try scoring opportunities but there is a calmness about their approach.
This has been the most vocal I have seen any New Zealand team, they are worried about what can happen possibly a little bit more than they are confident of what they can do. The All Blacks do not know how to be the underdog. Ireland can exploit that discomfort."
@stodders said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
This has been the most vocal I have seen any New Zealand team, they are worried about what can happen possibly a little bit more than they are confident of what they can do. The All Blacks do not know how to be the underdog. Ireland can exploit that discomfort."
Funny how perspectives differ.
That Harry Jones dude I quoted earlier talking to Devlin said he'd never come across the ABs flying so quietly under the radar.
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@stodders said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@MiketheSnow Ryan was on the bench against Scotland. Henderson started.
So Ryan out, McCarthy in is the only change.
Strong, settled team. They are battle hardened, but they have also played a fair bit too. Compare the NZ backrow playing minutes to Ireland's:
Image taken from this post on X:
https://x.com/Selfimprove_Man/status/1712014608557338881?s=20
That is very interesting to see just how many minutes the Ireland top team have had. Shows how important their core players are but also shows why they are so well drilled and organised, they play a shitload of minutes together which simply can't be earnt on the training field. I'm surprised Ioane has only played 172 minutes in 4 games compared to 259 for ringrose or 320 for Aki.
@chimoaus TBF, given the higher intensity games they have had to play, they have been forced to largely play thier best team more, whereas we have had 3 opposed traning runs, no requirement to play the top side.
Which adds to the tackle stats shown up there as well, Ireland have been tested on defence by handy attack structures, we havent, well not for a month.
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Herald saying Talea may b out injured, yet Ryan said they have full squad fit, interesting
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Herald saying Talea may b out injured, yet Ryan said they have full squad fit, interesting
@george33 Liam Napier’s latest article looks like a summary of this thread
.I think @george33 suggested Fainga’anuku was a potential surprise starter further up the thread and Napier goes with:
“If Telea is ruled out the All Blacks will turn to Leicester Fainga’anuku’s powerful presence after he impressed from the left wing to claim four tries against Namibia and Uruguay.”
Nobody from the AB camp suggested there was a problem with Telea this week. So did Napier shoe horn the Telea injury (conjecture) on the back of George’s suggestion that Leicester may be selected? Interesting
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@george33 Liam Napier’s latest article looks like a summary of this thread
.I think @george33 suggested Fainga’anuku was a potential surprise starter further up the thread and Napier goes with:
“If Telea is ruled out the All Blacks will turn to Leicester Fainga’anuku’s powerful presence after he impressed from the left wing to claim four tries against Namibia and Uruguay.”
Nobody from the AB camp suggested there was a problem with Telea this week. So did Napier shoe horn the Telea injury (conjecture) on the back of George’s suggestion that Leicester may be selected? Interesting
@stodders hahahaha. From Napier again:
“The main point of contention in the reserves appears at halfback where Finlay Christie could be a surprise inclusion over Cam Roigard.”
Napier’s/Fern’s possible AB team:
Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Will Jordan, Beauden Barrett
Dane Coles, Ofa Tuʻungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Sam Whitelock, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown
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FWIW, I can maybe see some logic in Leicester being the bench option covering several positions at a stretch. But I would be surprised if he makes the 23 given what happened to him last year in the Ireland series and based on hits outs against Uruguay and Namibia.
If Telea is injured and LF is chosen, Clarke has fallen a long way.
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Herald saying Talea may b out injured, yet Ryan said they have full squad fit, interesting
