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Ireland vs New Zealand, 3rd Test: Teams & Build Up

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Post by RugbyFan182 Wed 20 Jun 2012, 12:57 pm

First topic message reminder :

Predict the score of the game. We all know how close the Irish came last week, can they deliver a result to stamp themselves into the history books. Could New Zealand kick it up a gear and get there hat trick. Discuss.

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Post by clivemcl Fri 22 Jun 2012, 12:25 pm

Let me put things another way:

What message has Deccie given the players?

McFadden - "You are and have been our best wing option, well done!"
Zebo - "You werent good enough in your one game"
Trimble - "You werent good enough in your one game"
Earls - "You werent good enough in your one game at center, maybe you can do something on the wing"


Gilroy - "Hi Gregg! What...? Oh - Craig? Sorry Craig. Yea maybe next year? Who do you play for again?" Laugh

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Post by Rory_Gallagher Fri 22 Jun 2012, 12:25 pm

I do agree that Trimble added some physicality to our backline. I thought it was noticeable. There does need to be a balance, and right now we just don't have any physical options. McFadden seems fairly physical in attack (like a young D'Arcy) but I think we could have used that to better effect at 12. I really don't get why we play McFadden on the wing, because it doesn't do him or the team any favours.

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Post by Gretgael1 Fri 22 Jun 2012, 12:35 pm

I agree Rory, playing him there doesn't do anyone any favours because when we have our full quota of fit wingers McFadden is waaaay down the line (Bowe, Earls, Trimble, Gilroy, Zebo, Fitzgerald) so he'll have to try centre again.

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Post by Rory_Gallagher Fri 22 Jun 2012, 12:39 pm

In Kidney's eyes, is he way down the line though? It seems he is just behind Bowe. 3 nailed on starts at wing against the best team in the world tells me that Kidney sees him as a wing. The order of wingers seems to be this right now:

Bowe
McFadden
Earls
Trimble
Zebo
Gilroy

I'm not sure where Fitzgerald will fit in when he returns, but that list is a mess.

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Post by asoreleftshoulder Fri 22 Jun 2012, 12:44 pm

Rory_Gallagher wrote:I completely forgot about that absolutely phenomenal pass thrown by Trimble in that game. It was a bit of a "wow" moment.

Yeah D'Arcy did something similar it's nice when your perceptions of a player are challenged by something like that.

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Post by rodders Fri 22 Jun 2012, 12:45 pm

Look none of the outside backs have really stood out on this tour. McFadden did ok last week as did Trimble, on form its much a muchness.

Two things annoy me. The lack of consistancy in Kidney rational for selection.

He said he picked Zebo in the first test in part because he normally played on the left wing .. then plays Trimble on the left on the second test, and then in the 3rd test has a centre on each wing. He just talks utter bollix.

Secondly, we've picked arguably our two smallest backs up against NZs two most powerful strike runners ( Gear and SBW). That just hilights to me the tactical naivety of this coaching team.
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Post by clivemcl Fri 22 Jun 2012, 12:46 pm


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Post by Gretgael1 Fri 22 Jun 2012, 12:49 pm

To be honest, I'm done with trying to second guess Kidney and his coaches. At this stage I'm just looking forward to tomorrow morning.

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Post by Duigers Fri 22 Jun 2012, 12:52 pm

Gretgael1 wrote:I agree Rory, playing him there doesn't do anyone any favours because when we have our full quota of fit wingers McFadden is waaaay down the line (Bowe, Earls, Trimble, Gilroy, Zebo, Fitzgerald) so he'll have to try centre again.

If hes waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down the line how come hes starting ahead of Zebo, Trimble and Gilroy???

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Post by rodders Fri 22 Jun 2012, 12:53 pm

Yup it is what it is, I'm 100% behind the team that plays and please god back up that performance from last week.

Keep the ball, be patient, get the defensive line up and most of all put the fear of god into someone Leprechaun .

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Post by Gretgael1 Fri 22 Jun 2012, 1:00 pm

Duigers wrote:
Gretgael1 wrote:I agree Rory, playing him there doesn't do anyone any favours because when we have our full quota of fit wingers McFadden is waaaay down the line (Bowe, Earls, Trimble, Gilroy, Zebo, Fitzgerald) so he'll have to try centre again.

If hes waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down the line how come hes starting ahead of Zebo, Trimble and Gilroy???

Because I think Zebo and Gilroy will surpass him this season, if they haven't already done that!!! But, I feel, they will have surpassed him in the eyes of the coaches. I'm really not sure why Trimble isn't starting chin If all our players are fit, I think, Bowe and Earls will be our wingers anyway.

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Post by LeinsterFan4life Fri 22 Jun 2012, 1:11 pm

Ireland u20 game is about to start live on tg4

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Post by Gretgael1 Fri 22 Jun 2012, 1:13 pm

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Ireland u20 game is about to start live on tg4

thumbsup

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Post by rodders Fri 22 Jun 2012, 1:15 pm

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Ireland u20 game is about to start live on tg4

steam
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Post by red_stag Fri 22 Jun 2012, 1:16 pm

Stupid work.
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Post by asoreleftshoulder Fri 22 Jun 2012, 1:41 pm

You know what lads,if we win this match then we're in a great position to challenge for a top 4 spot in the rankings by November and try to get that top seed at the next WC.

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Post by LeinsterFan4life Fri 22 Jun 2012, 1:44 pm

Our scrum is dominating

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Post by Rory_Gallagher Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:02 pm

Seriously, Furlong needs developed ASAP. Not only is he a good scrummager, but he offers a ton in the loose. He has a very high tackle count.

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Post by Rory_Gallagher Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:05 pm

Also, I'm not sure Hanrahan is just as inventive as Madigan.. maybe Hanrahan would be best at 12 after all.

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Post by kiakahaaotearoa Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:17 pm

Our scrum is dominating. Not so sure about that.

It dominated in the second half no doubt but I think the loosies were to blame for that. I think you'll find those scrum yips will be sorted out tomorrow and Hansen won't be too quick to substitute Owen off the park. Where I think Ireland is dominating is the breakdown and that's where we have to get parity tomorrow to give our backs some space like they had in the first test.

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Post by Gretgael1 Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:20 pm

kiakahaaotearoa, they're talking about the Ireland u20 game, against France, that's on now.

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Post by kiakahaaotearoa Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:22 pm

picard Cheers for that mate. I'll get me coat.

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Post by asoreleftshoulder Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:23 pm

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Our scrum is dominating. Not so sure about that.

It dominated in the second half no doubt but I think the loosies were to blame for that. I think you'll find those scrum yips will be sorted out tomorrow and Hansen won't be too quick to substitute Owen off the park. Where I think Ireland is dominating is the breakdown and that's where we have to get parity tomorrow to give our backs some space like they had in the first test.

He was talking about the U20 WC match the Irish scrum is doing a number on France.

Tommorrow we need to concentrate from the start,we lost the 1st scrum against the head and gave away 2 free kicks in the first half.While we finished well there is a lot of room for improvement at scrum,lineout and restarts.

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Post by John Cregan Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:25 pm

Who's reffing tomorrow??

Assume Owens has got severely rapped for getting involved in an argument with fans on Twitter??

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Post by Gretgael1 Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:27 pm

Haha, in fairness, it's confusing enough considering there's a thread for that game already.

Btw, your points were valid and I'd agree with them. Owen Franks will be kept on as long as possible. Backrow is interesting, Messam will add some steal, will Cane and McCaw work together? Looks a little unbalanced.

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Post by Gretgael1 Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:29 pm

John Cregan wrote:Who's reffing tomorrow??

Assume Owens has got severely rapped for getting involved in an argument with fans on Twitter??

Poite reffing tomorrow as far as I know thumbsdown

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Post by clivemcl Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:32 pm

U20s are relentless here. Very encouraging!

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Post by kiakahaaotearoa Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:34 pm

Well in my defence his comment was isolated and leapt out at me. But good to see the Irish U20 scrum doing a number on the French. No mean feat.

Yes I agree it all looks a bit untried and tested in the backrow. I hope Cruden can imitate Carter's immaculate restarts as McCaw is just as effective in the air as Read. Messam hopefully adds some steel but frankly I'd like to see us invest some time in Hoeata at 6 (trouble is he's been playing lock for the Highlanders and lost some form after an injury) because frankly we need some muscle to replace Kaino and Thomson, whilst he adds other advantages, simply does not have that. Sam Cane looks like a schoolboy but I commend him being given a chance. Romano adds some bulk and has a good partnership with Whitelock and they scrum well together for the Crusaders. Messam for me is the big unknown. Can he finally translate Chiefs form into AB form.

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Post by John Cregan Fri 22 Jun 2012, 2:34 pm

Gretgael1 wrote:
John Cregan wrote:Who's reffing tomorrow??

Assume Owens has got severely rapped for getting involved in an argument with fans on Twitter??

Poite reffing tomorrow as far as I know thumbsdown

Anyone but him.....................wouldn't rule out an Irish Red Card tomorrow..................

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Post by disneychilly Fri 22 Jun 2012, 3:18 pm

Well Barnes did see the knees to Richie's head. Owens however missed the gouge on Richie last week. So it's due. Let's say, POM to get marched for biting Richie tomorrow? Very Happy

McCaw did leap up and grab the last restart. There was a bit of pressure there-imagine if that'd been spilled and Ireland grabbed it!

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Post by John Cregan Fri 22 Jun 2012, 3:40 pm

disneychilly wrote:Well Barnes did see the knees to Richie's head. Owens however missed the gouge on Richie last week. So it's due. Let's say, POM to get marched for biting Richie tomorrow? Very Happy

McCaw did leap up and grab the last restart. There was a bit of pressure there-imagine if that'd been spilled and Ireland grabbed it!

Im sure they would have found a way of giving the All Blacks a penalty. Wink

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Post by Thomond Fri 22 Jun 2012, 3:53 pm

John, you're being a bit ridiculous with some of the stuff you're posting.

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Post by Sin é Fri 22 Jun 2012, 3:56 pm

Interview with BOD in the Irish Times today. Some good insights into why some players make the team (i.e., McFadden).

Sounds like he will hang up his touring boots anyway, now that all his old pals are mostly retired.

'You don't properly earn it until you beat them'
Now on his 13th tour, Brian O’Driscoll can look backwards with a satisfied air – but there are still a few itches left to scratch, writes GERRY THORNLEY

ON A rugby magazine television programme last week, former All Blacks’ second row Ian Jones was asked if Brian O’Driscoll was a great player. “Not in my house,” said Jones, on the premise that he had “never done it against the All Blacks”.

He is entitled to his opinion, but given O’Driscoll was stepping Sonny Bill Williams at full tilt in his barnstorming final quarter last Saturday, fully 11 years after waltzing with the Lions in Australia, Jones’ house clearly has very black windows.

Admittedly, this is O’Driscoll’s seventh tour here and, including his brutally curtailed stint as captain of the Lions, all told he has been on the losing side a dozen times.

“You don’t properly earn it until you beat them,” admits O’Driscoll. “I can understand to a degree, but there is black bubble stuff, without a shadow of a doubt. You can see it in their media, as well as their former players and their comments and the patronising stuff, but we’ve yet to beat them. They can only be so sympathetic.”

With the next tour to New Zealand not for another dozen years, this is not only the last chance saloon for O’Driscoll. First-timers may not fully appreciate that, he reckons, “but I’d very hopeful that no one has one foot on the plane for their summer holidays; ‘live in the now’ and give yourself an opportunity to be part of something that people will always remember.

“And I don’t think people realise the enormity of that. But ifs and buts are no good to anyone. You just have to go and do it.”

This is O’Driscoll’s 13th tour, including three World Cups and three with the Lions. His Test career began on the first of them, in 1999, in Australia. “You really don’t know what to expect and you’re just trying to fit in as best you can. I was a young guy and all of a sudden you’re training with guys you’d have watched on the telly for years. It’s very weird and very exciting.”

Back then, he saw whatever sights and did whatever activities were on offer, but tours tend to mean return visits, and save for a little golf, he enjoys having his own time nowadays. On one day in Takapuna on the outskirts of Auckland, he had lunch on his own, walked the beach with some music in his ears and, one of his favourite past-times, checked out handsome houses. “And I was content as you like.”

He appreciates the captain’s privilege of having his own room, which extends back to his days as vice-captain on the tour here in 2002. Room sharing now would be difficult. “That could retire me,” he quips with a smile. “It’s like your own little getaway from things. So now, when we have a day off, Earlsy is like: ‘More Brian time, was it?’”

The novelty of touring, if not the rugby, has also worn off a little. But after the nightmare of ’05, he has come to like New Zealand, not least Queenstown, and he could envisage returning to this relative escapism from rugby on holidays.

“Obviously, ’05 gave me a bad taste and some of the reaction didn’t endear the country to me. But that was seven years ago. Everyone – well, a lot of people – have gotten over that. I certainly have and so you just have to put that behind you. I could see how this country is as beautiful as everyone makes it out to be. We see it in the depths of the winter, and we don’t see the Bay of Islands. We hadn’t seen Queenstown up to the World Cup. I would imagine there are some beautiful parts to it.”

If NZ in ’05 left the most scars, he loved the World Cup in Australia in 2003. “We started in Terrigal for two weeks. It’s class, and although we got well beaten by the French in the quarters, there was great relief post-99 in getting to the knock-out stages and beating Argentina. We were close to Australia but no cigar, but when I look back on fun times I had I really enjoyed that tour.”

In South Africa in 2009 he also began to appreciate the true Lions’ ethos. “That gave me a flavour for what all the hoo-ha was about Lions’ tours. We did a lot of things wrong (in ’05), such as not rooming together,” which he believes should include the captain.

There was also player and management overload. “One hundred percent. For example, I don’t think I ever trained with Denis Hickie on the tour, certainly not after the first week in New Zealand. Irrespective of what happened injury-wise, there was minimal fun to be had, and that’s why, before ’09, I thought these Lions tours were going to be way better, as they’d been made out to be by all the Lions greats of the ’70s. You see all these guys talking about lifelong friendships and I thought: ‘I don’t have any of that and I’ve been on two of them.’”

He was back in the trenches in ’09, with Paul O’Connell assuming the captaincy, and with less pressure came more of an opportunity to understand what the Lions were about. “And I did that. And I had a great time.”

You’d imagine O’Connell maybe didn’t? “No, I would imagine not. It’s a very stressful environment being captain of a situation like that. Incredibly tough. Way more so than your national team, ’cos you’ve got help from guys, unless you’ve got guys who’ve been captains before and give a helping hand and take some of the responsibility away. And there was so little bitchiness on that (’09) tour. There was bitchiness in ’01, and in ’05 things went badly and staying on the tour was a massive error.”

Hence, when injured in the second Test in ’09, he was on the first available flight home.

With good friends such as Hickie and Shane Horgan no longer part of the Irish set-up, having someone like Ronan O’Gara on this tour is all the more important. O’Driscoll is the squad’s second oldest player, O’Gara the eldest, which he admits feels weird. And including World Cups, this is their 13th tour together.

“It would be a bit over the top to say I’d be totally lost without Rog but he’s very important to have around, because I think we understand each other very well. We’ve a similar existence. He’s got a young family, I’m married, and some days I can see he’s a bit down, or likewise. It’s a difficult time spent away from loved ones, whereas there’s novelty factor in that at the start. When I was 20 (in ’99) I was getting away from the folks!” he says with a broad smile.

The flip side of all that is new friendships, with O’Driscoll feeling an onus to pass on some of his experience. “But sometimes you have to make mistakes to learn from them. I can see myself in different people throughout the different profiles. Young guys in their first tour, guys in their mid-20s; there’s a bit of you in everyone. ‘Yea, I remember that phase.’”

But both the new and familiar help to ensure the fire still burns. “I don’t enjoy everything that goes with the touring but I do love the competitiveness of the games still. I think it brings out a different animal in you. You can’t recreate it for training. It’s just impossible. I just think there’s a switch that changes when you go out on the pitch and pull a green jersey on. I’ve talked to Rog about it, and you can see it in him. It’s the desire, and you can see it in guys that don’t. And the guys that have it are the ones you want beside you. It’s the ones that have that dog in them.

“Loads have them. Ferg has it. I’ve seen him snap. You want to see him in the gym. He just wants to win. He won’t be broken. I love that mentality, and it’s infectious. You want to play harder for someone like that.”

Exposed to the All Blacks’ tempo after nine months away from Test rugby, and pressed into an unfamiliar inside centre role, O’Driscoll admits “I got a shock” in the first 25 minutes of the first Test. “But sometimes you just need that shock to remind you that’s what’s expected of you. So second time round you’re not caught on the hop like that and settling early. We were very proactive in what we did. We were very reactive in a lot of what we did the previous week.”

The same and more is required tomorrow. “If you get into a defensive mindset down here, that’s what they thrive on. I think you’ve got to go after the best teams and play them at their game.” That, and clinically maximising opportunities is, he says, the main difference between great sides and very good ones.

Ideally he would like this to be his penultimate tour, as another box to tick would be a winning Lions’ tour. “You’re not guaranteed anything. All I can do is put myself in a position to be selected for a team that could go to Australia and win. And I think I’ve definitely got one more big year in me, and who knows, this time next year, I might go ‘I’m feeling good’ or ‘do you know what, that’s me done’. I really genuinely don’t know.

“I’ve changed dramatically as a player over the last 13/14 years. Lost things and gained things. So it’s understanding whether you can still provide as much as I demand of myself to provide. When I start faltering at that, when you can’t still deliver at the big stage like you used to be able to, that’s got to be the time to go. I don’t want to get to the point of picking up a wage.”

That’s one of the drawbacks of starting at the top and staying at the top.

You have to exit at the top.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0622/1224318452111.html
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Post by John Cregan Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:07 pm

Thomond wrote:John, you're being a bit ridiculous with some of the stuff you're posting.

What stuff?? Questioning the integrity of Roman Poite as a referee - hardly the first or the last to do that. Not exactly earth shattering..........

Making a light hearted remark to the effect that the All Blacks (and especially McCaw) sometimes get away with stuff - really out there!


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Post by kiakahaaotearoa Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:11 pm

Get the feeling that BOD just doesn't like anything related to NZ. Fair enough. Ian Jones' comments seem to me needling. His career deserves an Irish victory tomorrow but sometimes sport is cruel. Much like what touring NZ has been for BOD.

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Post by Rava Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:17 pm

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Get the feeling that BOD just doesn't like anything related to NZ. Fair enough. Ian Jones' comments seem to me needling. His career deserves an Irish victory tomorrow but sometimes sport is cruel. Much like what touring NZ has been for BOD.

“Obviously, ’05 gave me a bad taste and some of the reaction didn’t endear the country to me. But that was seven years ago. Everyone – well, a lot of people – have gotten over that. I certainly have and so you just have to put that behind you. I could see how this country is as beautiful as everyone makes it out to be. We see it in the depths of the winter, and we don’t see the Bay of Islands. We hadn’t seen Queenstown up to the World Cup. I would imagine there are some beautiful parts to it.”

The novelty of touring, if not the rugby, has also worn off a little. But after the nightmare of ’05, he has come to like New Zealand, not least Queenstown, and he could envisage returning to this relative escapism from rugby on holidays.
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Post by MMC Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:20 pm

John Cregan wrote:
Thomond wrote:John, you're being a bit ridiculous with some of the stuff you're posting.

What stuff?? Questioning the integrity of Roman Poite as a referee - hardly the first or the last to do that. Not exactly earth shattering..........

Making a light hearted remark to the effect that the All Blacks (and especially McCaw) sometimes get away with stuff - really out there!


Poite is a funny one. I wouldn't question his integrity at all. He can be pig-headed at times, sure, but he's not biased or dishonest or anything like that.
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Post by kiakahaaotearoa Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:21 pm

I disagree I'm afraid Rava. Look at the modal verbs in I could see how this country... and I would imagine there are some beautiful parts to it... don't seem well chosen to me.

I'm not saying he has to like NZ. He's entitled to his opinion. But if he genuinely liked the place, he wouldn't be expressing himself in that way.

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Post by Rava Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:26 pm

Headscratch
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Post by rodders Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:27 pm

I suppose its in how you choose to interpret the words Kia.

Nice insights there. Thanks for posting Sin OK guinness
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Post by kiakahaaotearoa Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:27 pm

Let's put it this way. Imagine if McCaw said I could see how Ireland is as good as everyone makes them out to be. I would imagine they have some very good strengths. Would you get the idea he shares in what everybody else is claiming?

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Post by kiakahaaotearoa Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:31 pm

Maybe I am reading too much into it but if my hunch is correct, I don't really blame him. For a player who has achieved so much, it's understandable he feels no love for a country that calls his legendary status into question.

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Post by rodders Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:33 pm

I think BOD has become more cagey with the media over the years, keeps his cards close to his chest. I wouldn't read to much into it.

Good luck tomorrow guinness
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Post by RugbyFan182 Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:37 pm

On the eve before the battle all that is going through my head is "COME ONNN IRELAND" Smile

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Post by kiakahaaotearoa Fri 22 Jun 2012, 4:38 pm

Yeah you too rodders. guinness Like I said, it doesn't bother me if the guy doesn't have good associations with the country. I wouldn't blame him. Whistle

This has been a great series. It will be even better if Ireland can summon up the same intensity and performance as last week because that will require NZ to play well. This has been great preparation for the 4N for us.

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Post by wolfball Fri 22 Jun 2012, 7:04 pm

hey all, so excited to be able to be in my own bed for tomorrow morning's match (330am NY time) will be falling asleep in the old ireland jersey.. I wanted to add that Kia and the rest of the NZs have been great these last few weeks. As has rodders; your emotional journey between insane optimism, to despair, to expectation, to despair, to measured optimism, is exactly how I, and I'm sure many other irish have felt these last few weeks. Forget worldcups, touring against the best is where its at. Thanks guys, I nearly never post, but I read these boards religiously every single day, living in USA means its my only relief from BASEketball and MLS...

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Post by rodders Fri 22 Jun 2012, 7:16 pm

Wolfball, Kia guinness guinness

Believe OK
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Post by LeinsterFan4life Fri 22 Jun 2012, 7:17 pm

Woftball how popular is rugby where you are?

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Post by kiakahaaotearoa Fri 22 Jun 2012, 7:20 pm

If Ireland play as well as SA are now, it'll be an Irish win. Good game of intense footy.

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Post by rodders Fri 22 Jun 2012, 7:24 pm

Feic those baby boks are bigger than our senior side! Shocked

Can't wait until tomorrow...hopefully more of the same with a different result! guinness Very Happy
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