All Blacks v Ireland

[Lance Free]

For the ABs it looks like 'last man standing' with a very high injury toll (including 4 or 5 in the squad - Kahui, Woodcock, Donnelly, Muliaina etc)

For Ireland it looks like a very experienced combo.....

All Blacks:

Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Joe Rokocoko, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Anthony Boric, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks.

Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, Neemia Tialata, Sam Whitelock, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Aaron Cruden, Zac Guildford

Ireland:

Robert Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Gordon D'Arcy, Andrew Trimble, Ronan O'Gara, Tomas O'Leary, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, John Muldoon, Mick O'Driscoll, Donncha O'Callaghan, John Hayes, Sean Cronin, Cian Healy

Reserves: John Fogarty, Tony Buckley, Dan Tuohy, Shane Jennings, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Geordan Murphy

 

[chief]

This looks like a very promising chance for Ireland. Certainly keen to see the outcome.

 

[cyclopath]

Ireland will push, but still come up short against NZ I would think. The ABs seem to start a bit better than Australia too, although that might be just my impression. Still a pretty handy ABs lineup.

 

[chief]

Ireland will push, but still come up short against NZ I would think. The ABs seem to start a bit better than Australia too, although that might be just my impression. Still a pretty handy ABs lineup.

Do you remember nearly all of the Bledisloe's last year, Australia were beating them half way through the game.

 

[cyclopath]

Do you remember nearly all of the Bledisloe's last year, Australia were beating them half way through the game.

I mean in the "Early" Tests - Aus usually start crap, but the ABs often blow some unfortunates off the park first up. By the 3N, Aus were a bit better, and the ABs were a bit crapper, but still good enough to dispose of us without a lot of bother.

 

[Gagger]

I'm not sure how much it matters who you put around Carter and McCaw, as long as those two are playing for the ABs it's gonna be a hard call for this set of Irish pensioners

 

[Groucho]

I mean in the "Early" Tests - Aus usually start crap, but the ABs often blow some unfortunates off the park first up. By the 3N, Aus were a bit better, and the ABs were a bit crapper, but still good enough to dispose of us without a lot of bother.

Hmmm... I don't know about 'not a lot of bother'. We were in the hunt up until the closing minutes in a few of those games. Don't say that to a Kiwi though: they are full of stories about how they crushed and and will do it again this year.

 

[cyclopath]

Hmmm... I don't know about 'not a lot of bother'. We were in the hunt up until the closing minutes in a few of those games. Don't say that to a Kiwi though: they are full of stories about how they crushed and and will do it again this year.

You may be right, but I felt a certain inevitability last year that we would lose against the ABs, despite what the scoreboard said. Also, I don't think the ABs played that well (for them) yet still managed to see us off, so it was doubly frustrating.

 

[Scorz]

The All Blacks team that The 3 have named is about as conservative as they could be with so many injuries. Dagg at 15, Stanley @ 12, the other Franks prop - obvious. Vito over Thomson is the real surprise for me, but I'm stoked - to me the ginger is a scarecrow and hopefully Vito has a blinder off the bench.

 

[Scorz]

Oh and Cyclo, you're right as usual - the AB's played like shit a LOT last year. We didn't smoke anyone except France in Marseille. And yes, we still won. Any Kiwi who claims more is just having a wee on your lawn.

 

[disco]

I'm not sure how much it matters who you put around Carter and McCaw, as long as those two are playing for the ABs it's gonna be a hard call for this set of Irish pensioners

Agreed Gagger,
Not just the Irish either other than the Boks McCaw & carter have a spell on the rest or world rugby especially us.

 

[PaarlBok]

Dunno but like the domine in the Ireland team. They look on paper a much more settled unit. Their tight 5 look better, look like they can dominate in the lineouts. with their Red Munster Monster. Its in the head they need a workout I suppose.

 

[PaarlBok]

Agreed Gagger,
Not just the Irish either other than the Boks McCaw & carter have a spell on the rest or world rugby especially us.

You just need to bash that pretty boy Kiwis man. Bash them. lol

 

[cyclopath]

Oh and Cyclo, you're right as usual - the AB's played like shit a LOT last year. We didn't smoke anyone except France in Marseille. And yes, we still won. Any Kiwi who claims more is just having a wee on your lawn.

That's why they're the ABs, Scorz. Because they bloody win mostly, even when they shouldn't!! Like the McQueen Wallabies, but not sighted since.

 

[Thomond78]

For the ABs it looks like 'last man standing' with a very high injury toll (including 4 or 5 in the squad - Kahui, Woodcock, Donnelly, Muliaina etc)

For Ireland it looks like a very experienced combo.....

All Blacks:

Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Joe Rokocoko, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Anthony Boric, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks.

Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, Neemia Tialata, Sam Whitelock, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Aaron Cruden, Zac Guildford

Ireland:

Robert Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Gordon D'Arcy, Andrew Trimble, Ronan O'Gara, Tomas O'Leary, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, John Muldoon, Mick O'Driscoll, Donncha O'Callaghan, John Hayes, Sean Cronin, Cian Healy

Reserves: John Fogarty, Tony Buckley, Dan Tuohy, Shane Jennings, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Geordan Murphy

Jeez, cry me a river, boys. We're playing not just Ireland's, but Munster's fifth-choice second-row in Micko, a one-capper at blindside, an uncapped Dan Tuohy, a two-capped starting hooker, an one-capped reserve hooker, ANDREW FUCKING TRIMBLE FFS! - no Earls, Fitzgerald, POC, Fla, Ferris, Paddy Wallace, Leamy... Oh, and Reddan's in shite form, too. The others are all out on their feet after 18 months of non-stop rugby.

We're going to get reamed.

 

[fatprop]

I like the look of the AB side, exciting backs and athletic forwards

 

[Blue]

Last man standing my arse. Stanley deserves a start and Dagg even more so. The Franks brothers starting together was just a matter of time. Boric we very good in Black before injury last year (he even stole some ball off Matfield). They are playing the right back row combo that will only improve as a unit.

I see little weakness in that team.

Write them off at your peril.

They will snot the Irish. Without O'Connel in the engine room they will fold like a house of cards.

 

[Reddy!]

Agreed with some of the posts, that looks like a very good All Blacks side, and despite their injury concerns too. I don't think it would have too many troubles against the Wallabies.

 

[spectator]

Really looking forward to seeing how Dagg and Stanley handle the step up. Roks found some rare form during the S14 so he will also be one to watch.

Not a bad looking All Black side really.

 

[Reddy!]

Looks better than the Wallaby side in my opinion.