RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland
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The Great Teacher
Who can hate the Irish? This is the country that gave us Yeats and Joyce and Wilde and Beckett, after all. A good chunk of us in this part of the world have roots in Ireland. And does anyone recall that the Irish, of all peoples, probably hate the English more than anyone?
But aside from their outsized contribution to literature, drama, music and oratory, the Irish have recently become rather good at rugby. To be sure, they have picked the brains and talent of other countries to do that, but in the process they have developed their own style, cohesion and power to the point that they have struck fear into the hearts of the traditional rugby superpowers. As that Irishman Wilde said: “Be yourself; everyone else is taken”.
Ireland’s exit in the quarter final of this World Cup is no disgrace. They just came up against an All Black side that was wounded and may have wanted it more. As well, to quote Andy Farrell in his post-match presser, these knockout games can swing on small moments - Jordie Barrett’s try-saving tackle, Sam Whitelock’s steal at the end, Sexton’s missed shots at goal. A tiny adjustment in the curtains of fate could have changed the denouement entirely.
That the ABs, to win that match, had to dig deeper than they have done in probably any other match since the 2011 final against France spoke volumes not only for their new-found resilience and self-belief but also for Ireland’s never-say-die commitment and ability to keep picking themselves up from setbacks. This Ireland team were never beaten, until the final whistle. Every drop of blood that could be shed on both sides was done so.
As for Sexton, sure he can be ornery, mouthy and hard to like at times. But is he more so than Fitzy or Coles or Marshall? Put it this way, if this 38-year-old warrior been playing in black would any of his most bitter critics here have been so quick to condemn him? And could anyone in their heart of hearts really claim that Ireland’s recent successes have not made watching rugby union a richer and more thrilling experience?
As for the All Blacks and their lame duck coach, it has been a tough few years, unquestionably, with a host of undesirable ‘firsts’ on the team resume. One could almost smell the regret seeping from the hard-nosed money men at Silver Lake. But the quarter final felt like a form of redemption and a reminder that sport, like life generally, can swing on the smallest of moments.
To quote another great Irishman in James Joyce:
“To learn, one must be humble. But life is the great teacher.”
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@His-Bobness Great stuff as usual, Bob.
And, to quote - possibly Vince Lombardi - more succinctly:
"When you get in the end-zone - act like you've been there before".
A week of being gracious winners wouldn't have hurt us!
@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
A week of being gracious winners wouldn't have hurt us!
emotional outbursts after big wins are entirely reasonable. Otherwise what is the point of watching.
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@Stargazer said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
the fuck were the other 4 million people doing??
Disgraceful
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@Stargazer said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
the fuck were the other 4 million people doing??
Disgraceful
@mariner4life said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Stargazer said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
the fuck were the other 4 million people doing??
Disgraceful
i assumed every one of those had 5 people watching.....
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@Stargazer said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
the fuck were the other 4 million people doing??
Disgraceful
@mariner4life said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Stargazer said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
the fuck were the other 4 million people doing??
Disgraceful
Watching replays of the Warriors I assume.
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@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
A week of being gracious winners wouldn't have hurt us!
emotional outbursts after big wins are entirely reasonable. Otherwise what is the point of watching.
@mariner4life said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
A week of being gracious winners wouldn't have hurt us!
emotional outbursts after big wins are entirely reasonable. Otherwise what is the point of watching.
Shout it at your neighbours.
I'm sticking with Vince when it comes to posting.
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@mariner4life said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
A week of being gracious winners wouldn't have hurt us!
emotional outbursts after big wins are entirely reasonable. Otherwise what is the point of watching.
Shout it at your neighbours.
I'm sticking with Vince when it comes to posting.
@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@mariner4life said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
A week of being gracious winners wouldn't have hurt us!
emotional outbursts after big wins are entirely reasonable. Otherwise what is the point of watching.
Shout it at your neighbours.
I'm sticking with Vince when it comes to posting.
oh, they heard alright
And my post game review was gushing of our vanquished opponents
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@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@mariner4life said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
A week of being gracious winners wouldn't have hurt us!
emotional outbursts after big wins are entirely reasonable. Otherwise what is the point of watching.
Shout it at your neighbours.
I'm sticking with Vince when it comes to posting.
oh, they heard alright
And my post game review was gushing of our vanquished opponents
@mariner4life I don't recall you writing a diatribe on why you hate Jonny.
Don't think those are necessary this week. He's done.
Looked like his kid was tearful and he gave him a wink - that's alright!
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@mariner4life I don't recall you writing a diatribe on why you hate Jonny.
Don't think those are necessary this week. He's done.
Looked like his kid was tearful and he gave him a wink - that's alright!
@Chris-B i was full bluster and wind-up until Saturday night
Then it was nerves and "holy shit we might do this"
And since then awe in what a game of rugby it was.
This week is going to be such a come down
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I was actually quietly confident that Fozzie and Co were the men with a plan...until they named their team.
Then I had 24 hours of thinking they'd fucked it and had no idea - though I only pm-ed my doubts to Steven Harris.
Then I went back to a kind of 40-60 mode, where we can win if we play well, but we probably won't.
After the first 2 minutes I thought we were fucked - but, luckily Porter saved us.
From there I was in awe!
Great game of footy - doubtless played by numerous fuckwits and plenty of good guys!
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I said we would win by 2 scores. And i believed we would when we scored the first 13. But they never let us get away.
I did think it was going to take something special, i didn't realise quite how special. Or how many guys were going to have to play out of their skin to make it happen. -
I said we would win by 2 scores. And i believed we would when we scored the first 13. But they never let us get away.
I did think it was going to take something special, i didn't realise quite how special. Or how many guys were going to have to play out of their skin to make it happen.@mariner4life Yeah - I was starting to relax slightly at 13-0.
I need to have a slo-mo look at Shannon's obstruction, because it seemed fuck-all - and Wayne ramping up TV ratings.
By halftime I wondered if I should just go for a walk for an hour and come back and check the score.
Or free solo El Capitan , or something less risky than watching footy.
Kept our noses in front.
Barring early red cards we should beat the Argies and meet the Jaaps in the final. With due respect, it's hard to see things unfolding differently - and fuck Chieka!
I need advice on how to manage that stress - set my alarm for 4am and start drinking?
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@mariner4life Yeah - I was starting to relax slightly at 13-0.
I need to have a slo-mo look at Shannon's obstruction, because it seemed fuck-all - and Wayne ramping up TV ratings.
By halftime I wondered if I should just go for a walk for an hour and come back and check the score.
Or free solo El Capitan , or something less risky than watching footy.
Kept our noses in front.
Barring early red cards we should beat the Argies and meet the Jaaps in the final. With due respect, it's hard to see things unfolding differently - and fuck Chieka!
I need advice on how to manage that stress - set my alarm for 4am and start drinking?
@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
set my alarm for 4am and start drinking?
i probably would have done that this week if i didn't have a skin full on saturday arvo/night and woke up super dusty sunday
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@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
set my alarm for 4am and start drinking?
i probably would have done that this week if i didn't have a skin full on saturday arvo/night and woke up super dusty sunday
@mariner4life said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
set my alarm for 4am and start drinking?
i probably would have done that this week if i didn't have a skin full on saturday arvo/night and woke up super dusty sunday
Doesn’t it get so much tougher at our age ?
I think the bottle of red wine I had after the IPAs wasn’t a wise move but it seemed fitting while watching the election.
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@nzzp said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Rapido said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
I'm shocked, shocked! That Reiko is being a dick.
Hand on the ear after a win with all the noise that's led up to it -- that's a solid 2-3 out of 10 for the 'being a dick-ometer'
Really? you have goading the losing opposition fans as only a 2-3 on the dickometer?
(assuming he was doing it to the crowd?, not to Sexton)
If anyone other than Sexton had reacted, where would it be on the scale?
I mean, Reiko alway been a bit of a classless dick, so maybe I'm doing a reverse over dick-ometering of him. Nah, that is classless.
If he is telling 'us' to shut up. E.g. The negative NZ fans, the Foster truthers. Then fair enough, although he'd still be wrong.
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@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
set my alarm for 4am and start drinking?
i probably would have done that this week if i didn't have a skin full on saturday arvo/night and woke up super dusty sunday
@mariner4life Me too - and it was a bad idea. I was sweating from the get-go.
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@mariner4life said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
set my alarm for 4am and start drinking?
i probably would have done that this week if i didn't have a skin full on saturday arvo/night and woke up super dusty sunday
Doesn’t it get so much tougher at our age ?
I think the bottle of red wine I had after the IPAs wasn’t a wise move but it seemed fitting while watching the election.
@MN5 said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@mariner4life said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
@Chris-B said in RWC QF: All Blacks v Ireland:
set my alarm for 4am and start drinking?
i probably would have done that this week if i didn't have a skin full on saturday arvo/night and woke up super dusty sunday
Doesn’t it get so much tougher at our age ?
I think the bottle of red wine I had after the IPAs wasn’t a wise move but it seemed fitting while watching the election.
my go to combination. smash hazies, switch to red. Great at the time. fucking awful the next day
