Ireland V New Zealand thread ***Team page 9***

[aisling7]

I'm going to cry if MOD starts. FACT.

[Scott]

Gutted they benched SBW.

We're not. Although when you look at the 2 centres (as we call them up here) they ARE playing.....

Ma'a Nonu or SBW? It's a bit like do you want to be shot or stabbed to death. Either way you die.

I'd love to see him play. Hope he gets the 2nd half

[Oldschool]

Starting XV
1. Tony Woodcock (72)
2. Hikawera Elliot (1)
3. Owen Franks (20)
4. Brad Thorn (49)
5. Tom Donnelly (14)
6. Jerome Kaino (36)
7. Richie McCaw – captain (92)
8. Kieran Read (28)
9. Andy Ellis (16)
10. Daniel Carter (77)
11. Hosea Gear (4)
12. Ma’a Nonu (54)
13. Conrad Smith (43)
14. Cory Jane (21)

15. Mils Muliaina (92)

Reserves
16. Andrew Hore (48)
17. John Afoa (28)
18. Anthony Boric (18)
19. Liam Messam (6)
20. Alby Mathewson (3)
21. Stephen Donald (21)

22. Sonny Bill Williams (2)

Gutted they benched SBW.

NZ are looking for a new record margin of defeat.

[Donny B.]

Reddan and MOD starting would be terrible, nonsensical calls that have no basis on form.

Would like to see Stringer starting to see how Jonny would benefit from his quick service.

To select MOD after his beyond woeful display against South Africa once again convinces me that he has pictures of Kidney smoking crack!

I'll settle for Court starting as long as it's not Hayes.

The bloody New Zealanders have selected the strongest available lineup. Could well be a fifty pointer or more.

[Oldschool]

that is why this is a forum, if everyone agreed there would be no discussion

Indeed, but you're talking through your hole!!!

Well most people talk thru an orifice, so your rather stating the obvious there.

[Donny B.]

One good thing if this is the team is that hopefully we can play Ross and Seanie against the Dragons.

[silly punt]

Reddan and MOD starting would be terrible, nonsensical calls that have no basis on form.

Would like to see Stringer starting to see how Jonny would benefit from his quick service.

To select MOD after his beyond woeful display against South Africa once again convinces me that he has pictures of Kidney smoking crack!

I'll settle for Court starting as long as it's not Hayes.

The bloody New Zealanders have selected the strongest available lineup. Could well be a fifty pointer or more.

I was up in Donnybrook on Tuesday collecting tickets and I parked in Bective, where the Irish squad were having a behind closed doors session (with the main gates wide open ). The pack were practising lineouts at the Bective end and the pack was as follows:
Court
Best
Hayes
O'Callaghan
O'Driscoll
Ferris
Wallace
Heaslip

Now Healy was sitting out the session, so have you got to ask was Court covering Healy or was Hayes covering Healy, I hope it was the latter.... But either way O'Driscoll starts and Wallace starts ahead of SOB....

[Comer Toes]

Again, as a long-time Kidney supporter, I can only say that it's a very disappointing selection at 2, 5, 9 and 15. Otherwise, glad he's gone for Sexton and Court at tight-head. I still expect a performance on Saturday though. Also gutted that SBW and BOD won't be going head to head.

On a side note, anyone else find it odd that Thornley has chosen to leak the team in such a blunt manner? He usually threads carefully around his insider info.

[Vamos los azules]

One good thing if this is the team is that hopefully we can play Ross and Seanie against the Dragons.

Joe's take on it in the Indo.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/m ... 25528.html

One suspects Ross is surplus to DK's requirements again if they sent him back to Leinster yesterday. Seanie on the other hand could end up sitting on his backside all weekend rather than getting a game for anyone.

[Comer Toes]

Kidney is worse than EOS. Hes protected by the force of somebody exhaling behind the posts in Cardiff because without that GS he'd look like what he is

Completely agree that the selection for saturday is a joke but that comment is just horsesh*t - he might be making a balls of it at the moment but you cannot take anything away from the grand slam year; there was nothing jammy about that success, should have beaten Wales comfortably that day.

[sarah_lennon]

Does he think Stringer and Sexton can't play together?

[Scott]

Kidney is worse than EOS. Hes protected by the force of somebody exhaling behind the posts in Cardiff because without that GS he'd look like what he is

Completely agree that the selection for saturday is a joke but that comment is just horsesh*t - he might be making a balls of it at the moment but you cannot take anything away from the grand slam year; there was nothing jammy about that success, should have beaten Wales comfortably that day.

The win over England was very jammy.

[Donny B.]

One good thing if this is the team is that hopefully we can play Ross and Seanie against the Dragons.

Joe's take on it in the Indo.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/m ... 25528.html

One suspects Ross is surplus to DK's requirements again if they sent him back to Leinster yesterday. Seanie on the other hand could end up sitting on his backside all weekend rather than getting a game for anyone.

Shite! There goes the silver lining!

[Broken Wing]

Completely agree that the selection for saturday is a joke but that comment is just horsesh*t - he might be making a balls of it at the moment but you cannot take anything away from the grand slam year; there was nothing jammy about that success, should have beaten Wales comfortably that day.

Yes. Ireland should have beaten Wales comfortably. The point is they didn't and in the end the Grand Slam came down to a missed Welsh kick. Since then it seems other sides have improved while Ireland have being treading water.

We have an Italian in charge of the kicky ball team but it's our Irish rugby manager that has adopted catenaccio as the game plan. Give them the ball, defend like hell and hope to catch them on the break.

Just read Joe in the Indo. Way to go DK! Fergus McFadden's ability to hold tackle bags for The Untouchables is of much higher value than his role in the centre for Leinster in a league game. How could I ever have doubted DK's rugby genius? Roll on the World Cup.

[Armchair]

that is why this is a forum, if everyone agreed there would be no discussion

Indeed, but you're talking through your hole!!!

You seem to know a lot about talking through your swiss roll alright, good job you are always right

[suisse]

Completely agree that the selection for saturday is a joke but that comment is just horsesh*t - he might be making a balls of it at the moment but you cannot take anything away from the grand slam year; there was nothing jammy about that success, should have beaten Wales comfortably that day.

Yes. Ireland should have beaten Wales comfortably. The point is they didn't and in the end the Grand Slam came down to a missed Welsh kick. Since then it seems other sides have improved while Ireland have being treading water.

We have an Italian in charge of the kicky ball team but it's our Irish rugby manager that has adopted catenaccio as the game plan. Give them the ball, defend like hell and hope to catch them on the break.

Except that we can't counter attack. We're looking to win ngames by scoring off first phase set piece (something Leinster do well) and kick penalties.

It would appear to me that this Irish side will be picked solely on combinations, with some players allowed to carry forward dreadful form. The Munster second row, the usual back row, the Leinster half backs and midfied, the usual back 3. With the exception of Buckley, POC and TOL, this is the team that Kidney will send out the face the Wallabies in Eden Park.

I am bemused how a team which played so poorly for 65 minutes against a weakened South Africa is deemed good enough to face the All Blacks

[Armchair]

GRAHAM HENRY CHANGES FIVE
New Zealand have made five changes from the side which inflicted a 49-3 humiliation on Scotland last week for Saturday's clash with Ireland.

Graham Henry will deploy lock Tom Donnelly in his first start since the match with Australia in Hong Kong last month while Jerome Kaino returns to blindside flanker in place of Liam Messam.

Andy Ellis, a replacement at Murrayfield, starts at half-back while Ma'a Nonu is back alongside Conrad Smith in the centres. Sonny Bill Williams drops to the bench while Cory Jane is fit to start on the right wing after chest and shoulder problems.

Captain Richie McCaw and full-back Mils Muliaina will win their 93rd Test caps to become their countries leading appearance makers having both equalled former captain Sean Fitzpatrick's record last weekend.

Henry said: "One of the aims of this tour is to build the foundations of the team for the future so there have only been a few changes from the team that beat Scotland.

"We were pleased with the physicality and accuracy shown against the Scots and we will look to improve on that this weekend. However, the team also knows they will up against a very good Irish team which they respect."


New Zealand: T Woodcock, H Elliot, O Franks, B Thorn, T Donnelly, J Kaino, R McCaw (capt), K Read, A Ellis, D Carter, H Gear, M Nonu, C Smith, C Jane, M Muliaina.

Replacements: A Hore, J Afoa, A Boric, L Messam, A Mathewson, S Donald, SB Williams.

[Comer Toes]

Does he think Stringer and Sexton can't play together?

Don't think it's that at all - he just doesn't rate Stringer. DK obviously wants the ball kicked on Saturday so he's gone for Reddan... after that don't ask...

[Comer Toes]

Kidney is worse than EOS. Hes protected by the force of somebody exhaling behind the posts in Cardiff because without that GS he'd look like what he is

Completely agree that the selection for saturday is a joke but that comment is just horsesh*t - he might be making a balls of it at the moment but you cannot take anything away from the grand slam year; there was nothing jammy about that success, should have beaten Wales comfortably that day.

The win over England was very jammy.

ROG missed 4 pens no? Always the better team in that one as well... England were poxed to keep even 14 players on the field

[Broken Wing]

One of the aims of this tour is to build the foundations of the team for the future so there have only been a few changes from the team that beat Scotland.

This sort of thinking just doesn't wash in Ireland. New players? Only if one of The Untouchables is injured. And not slightly injured either but injured enough to stop them playing.