The Final Smackdown - South Africa v Ireland 25 June 2016

First topic message reminder :

It's the one we all secretly hoped for - winning a test and being in with a chance to win the series.

The Boks transformed and then re-transformed somewhere in the middle of the second half of the second test. Ireland blew it.

Now there's a chance for Redemption or Ridicule.

At least Bok fans can't say Ireland haven't won a test away in South Africa anymore.....

Or when Irish fans point out after Saturday that the head-to-head record since 2000 is P 12, W 5 L 7, Bok fans won't say yeah but those wins were all at home, and Ireland haven't played in SA since 2004.

Small victories.....

In fact, come to think of it, when was the last time that South Africa toured Ireland, eh? Let's get the re-match set up now. November 2019, three-test tour by SA in Ireland, NZ can take on England, Argentina in Wales and Australia in Scotland. I'd buy tickets for those.

Meanwhile, there's a match on Saturday - same time, same place - different result??

Not too break with the Irish spirit of pessimism and get too cocky (  ) but I think if we had Henshaw and Payne fit we'd win easily. Really dont think the SA team as a whole are that good. With the injuries Im not so sure. Big test for the young lads but still think they will do it.

Assuming Payne is out.

I think even if Payne is out we have a good chance. Healy and ohallaran have played without fear all season, there league champions and they have seen this bok team is beatable.
They could just provide the feck you spark at the start of the game to ignite the other lads.
Take it to them and blow them away.

I belive we are gonna spank the big staffers

The the u20s are you g to teach the english a thing or two

Ireland missed a huge opportunity last week and SA might start as they left off. I hope not, would be great to see Ireland come home with a series win, which will require a massive effort.

Payne is out - I heard Schmidt is calling up Wes Hoolahan and Liam Brady.

A couple of left footed kicking options there,suspect defensively though.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:A couple of left footed kicking options there,suspect defensively though.

A bit like Zebo then

He needs to call up McGovern if he wants safe hands at the back

Good shout.

Ireland:
15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Andrew Trimble
13. Luke Marshall
12. Stuart Olding
11. Keith Earls
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Conor Murray
1. Jack McGrath
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Mike Ross
4. Iain Henderson
5. Devin Toner
6. CJ Stander
7. Jordi Murphy
8. Jamie Heaslip
Replacements:
16. Sean Cronin
17. Finlay Bealham
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Rhys Ruddock
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Ian Madigan
23. Matt Healy

I think it'll be closer in the earlier stages but that team has the bench to make an impact and win the game.I really think we can do this although there are some questions about how our backline defense holds up.If that stays firm then we're golden.
The Boks look to have a stronger starting team but I don't really see much to fear on their bench so as long as we're still in the game after 60 minutes I think we'll do it.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:I think it'll be closer in the earlier stages but that team has the bench to make an impact and win the game.I really think we can do this although there are some questions about how our backline defense holds up.If that stays firm then we're golden.
The Boks look to have a stronger starting team but I don't really see much to fear on their bench so as long as we're still in the game after 60 minutes I think we'll do it.

I was thinking the same.  But the starters still have to keep that buffer score (keeping it close if behind) going against what will be a SA attempt to kill us off in the first half.

It's a real chance we have but also if we allow SA a head of steam early, it could as easily mock our heroics in the other two games.  The bonus, I think, is that now the Irish players aren't afraid mentally of the task at hand and the goal in mind.  They've had one shot at it - now they have a quick turn around to have another shot.  That's why these series of three are such a good thing. They don't allow sides to develop mystiques between one single meeting and another one perhaps months later.

Really like that team. It's the best we could have fielded, and loving the impact options off the bench. Every player on the pine can add speed or power or both.

It will be Reddans last ever game so hopefully he goes out with a win. Hes had one hell of a career. 

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/leinster-rugby/one-of-irish-rugbys-most-decorated-legends-will-retire-after-irelands-third-test-against-south-africa-34827201.html

Still looks like a baby. Sad to hear but at 35 it's right for him to take the pressure off his body and head off to get on with the rest of his life.

Yes, it would be good for him to get onto the field in a winning game at some stage.

It'll be an unbelievable effort if we win with the injuries we have in the backline. In the first test the tackle on Pietersen in the last minute was the first Payne had to make in the entire game. We need that level of protection for O'Hallornan. Especially if that monster Combrink is in.

This is the apparent SA team

15-Willie le Roux, 14-Ruan Combrink, 13-Lionel Mapoe, 12-Damian de Allende, 11-JP Pietersen, 10-Elton Jantjies, 9-Faf de Klerk; 8-Warren Whiteley, 7-Siya Kolisi, 6-Francois Louw, 5-Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Frans Malherbe, 2-Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1-Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16-Bongi Mbonambi, 17-Steven Kitshoff, 18-Julian Redelinghuys, 19-Francois Mostert, 20-Jaco Kriel, 21-Rudy Paige, 22-Morne Steyn, 23-Lwazi Mvovo

There's Notch's answer for him pretty quick.

I wonder what odds paddy power is giving on the Irish quadruple on Saturday?

If it happened - we all know who'll be to blame.....

...but one of them has to wait until Sunday

SecretFly wrote:If it happened - we all know who'll be to blame.....

St Patrick?

Nah...It's wot the Pro12 what did it!!! It'll be all their fault.

Forgive my limited sporting awareness, but I can't count 4?? What am I missing?

clivemcl wrote:Forgive my limited sporting awareness, but I can't count 4?? What am I missing?

???

Hmmm...sensitive one then.  You tell me the three you know about and I'll fill in the 4th.

Couldn't it in fact be 6 victories for ireland teams this weekend

I am guessing they are counting both Irish teams in the unimportant footie thing plus the U20's and the SA test

That'd be the 4 Lost (your name that is!!! ).

Carpet has me on the 6 though.... I'll think about it first before giving up.

Dunno either. I wondered if the Ireland cricket team was playing anyone but have not found it.

Joe Schmidt is certainly not an Eddie Jones or even a Gatland when it comes to being upfront about his expectations of his teams. It seems he's always cautious and always talking about nerves.

So it's interesting to hear some of his comments in the lead up to this one. Maybe it's a personal thing and the pressure is finally off him (as in maybe he's made a decision he'll tell us all about after the game) or maybe he's just suddenly more confident in the environment:


“I’m utterly confident that they’ll make me and themselves proud. They’ll make sure that Ireland feel proud of them because that’s the way they commit to going about their work and I’ve no doubt that they’ll be no different than it has been in the last two Tests.
Yes, it’s been a long season, people are tired and that’s going to maybe detract from people being at the their optimum but, at the same time, I don’t think too many people will detect that because what they don’t have in fresh reserves of energy, they’ll make up for in the full commitment they make to doing the job that they do.”

SecretFly wrote:That'd be the 4 Lost (your name that is!!! ).  

Carpet has me on the 6 though.... I'll think about it first before giving up.

Maybe he's counting England and Wales losing as Irish victories

Come on Carpet, tell us.

I didn't even know Ireland had 6 sports teams.

rodders wrote:

SecretFly wrote:That'd be the 4 Lost (your name that is!!! ).  

Carpet has me on the 6 though.... I'll think about it first before giving up.

Maybe he's counting England and Wales losing as Irish victories  

Em...you boys Are playing Wales, rodders. Did you watch any of the football at all?

The womens 7s have qualifiers for the Olympics this weekend. Stumped at the 6th though. I think the mens 7s are finished arent they?

Can't wait till carpet comes back and says it was a typo and he meant 4

I may be wrong but aint the men's and women's 7s playing this weekend

Like Golden I thought the men were gone.

Having loads of minions involved in the Euros has really made this competition. Hope the Champs Cup people realise they made a mistake reducing the number of teams.

oh, and I can't get 'Will Griegs on fire out of my head'.

What time is the SA game on, Wales play Norn Iron at 5, are they overlapping

carpet baboon wrote:I may be wrong but aint the men's and women's 7s playing this weekend

Men are gone. I think women can qualify this weekend.

AON had Niamh Briggs over at Manchester United with Wayne Rooney on some sponsorship work (AON sponsor the Women as well as Man Utd). I bet none of you knew that the name AON comes from the gaelic word 'one' (as No. 1 Insurance Broker).

I stand corrected. The men's finished last week

Sorry everyone

Well you added one to the four anyway. My diary is now full.

Sin é wrote:oh, and I can't get 'Will Griegs on fire out of my head'.

A typically Presbyterian response to the Euros here;

Spoiler:

I s that real?

Of course it all depends on who is in Hell....

Hmmmm............. must ring John to find out.

But I'd say Jim Morrison is there so I'll be tempted..

carpet baboon wrote:I s that real?

I don't know to be honest. But it would be far from the most outlandish bit of evangelism I've seen on the streets of Belfast.

Anyway about the game on Saturday .
I feel like we will win it and in the end by a decent margin. I think we will start well and our subs all bring a bit of a punch once the staffers are behind I can see them making lots of mistakes.

The future is many shades of green

It will be gutting if we don't win the series given were we were with 30 minutes to go in test 2. But I now feel that if we do win on Saturday, thats one of the biggest wins we've ever had. It would be an amazing achievement. Look were we are in terms of first choice players being out at 10, 12, 13, 15...

Sin é wrote:Having loads of minions involved in the Euros has really made this competition. Hope the Champs Cup people realise they made a mistake reducing the number of teams.

oh, and I can't get 'Will Griegs on fire out of my head'.

I 100% agree, nothing like rooting for the underdog and when they get a result it is the best entertainment. What about Japan against SA in the RWC.
Although I have been listening to BBC radio 5 and all they have done is whine about the format of the Euros and how defensive the minnows are... particular complainers are Mark Lawrenson and Alan Green. They appear to have forgotten where they came from

toml wrote: particular complainers are Mark Lawrenson and Alan Green. They appear to have forgotten where they came from

Ah Mark...he's forgotten who he played for a long, long, long time ago... but the lad has done ever so well in commentary since.