NZ V Ireland 2nd Test

[Oldschool]

That DG attempt is the biggest compliment the All Blacks have paid us

We should have gone for the same option a couple of minutes ago. That's game management, that's what you do when you get into a tight game, you go for points any points.

[Oldschool]

He's a remarkably mean-spirited pr!*k Richie McCaw.......great player and all but his whole synopsis on the game is about their mistakes....no credit at all for the team that was handing them their arses at times!

Morale canon fodder for us for next week.

[Oldschool]

you have to feel for the entire ireland camp, a fair few of those players/coaches may never have a better chance to beat nz.

Some issues with the scrum, is it coaching or players?

Kidney was very good today, tactics and use of bench was flawless.
Hopefully next week will be better

A stopped clock gets the time right twice a day!

[berniemac67]

We really should have won that. The worst the ABs have played in years and we still can't get over the line.

That was because we made them play like that.

I really have to disagree. If we can make the all blacks play like that, then why do we struggle to make other teams play like that? It was just an off night for the blacks. We didn't take enough of an advantage.

best irish performance in a long time

i'd call that a better performance than australia 2011 or england 2010, shame the result was a sickener

if dk is true to form we'll be shite and concede 50+ next week. if we back today up next week we may have to give him some credit

[Donny B.]

Thought our backrow got the better of theirs today. Seanie was immense, Heaslip was excellent and Kev brought a real physicality to the rucks. POM did well when he came on too in fairness.

[Dexter]

We really should have won that. The worst the ABs have played in years and we still can't get over the line.

That was because we made them play like that.

I really have to disagree. If we can make the all blacks play like that, then why do we struggle to make other teams play like that? It was just an off night for the blacks. We didn't take enough of an advantage.

Nah, don't believe the Ritchie McCaw propoganda bullsh*t, which conveniently ignored the fact that Ireland outplayed NZ in some parts of the game and blamed "errors". NZ probably made more or the same amount of errors last week and still won at a canter.
It's disappointing if we can't give credit for good performances and only say the oppo had a bad day.

[Oldschool]

Thought our backrow got the better of theirs today. Seanie was immense, Heaslip was excellent and Kev brought a real physicality to the rucks. POM did well when he came on too in fairness.

McGl meets all the criteria for a six, POM is a more dynamic ball carrier, which catches the eye.
POM is IMO, more of an 8 than anything else and yes he did well.
For me the pecking order for the Ireland back row positions is as follows.
Heaslip, POM
SOB, Henry
Ferris, McGl

Today we needed a front five that can grunt. Today our front five grunted. POC has to finally accept that his job is to win the ball, not carry it.

I was very impressed tho' with the way NZ picked and went diagonally from the ruck. This was very effective in gaining ground and is something both Leinster and Ireland should adopt.

[Leinster Lout]

Classless post match interview again from McCaw. He knew exactly what he was doing with that knee in Darcy's back that forced Darcy off too. c**t

[Xanthippe]

McGl meets all the criteria for a six

For me the pecking order for the Ireland back row positions is as follows.
Heaslip, POM
SOB, Henry
Ferris, McGl
.

Oldschool, any chance of a favour? Would there be any possibility that you could drop the G you keep putting in Kevin McLaughlin's name?

[Peg Leg]

McGl meets all the criteria for a six

For me the pecking order for the Ireland back row positions is as follows.
Heaslip, POM
SOB, Henry
Ferris, McGl
.

Oldschool, any chance of a favour? Would there be any possibility that you could drop the G you keep putting in Kevin McLaughlin's name?

At least it's not Heislip anymore!

[totalrandomer]

And we've had a break from "Clerment" but hey, it's mean to be a spelling Nazi.

[totalrandomer]

It's gutting to lose. But to push the ABs so far that they looked like they would be happy with the draw at one stage, is fabulous. I would say there is hardly a person in Ireland who would not have taken that at 8 o'clock this morning.

[nelly the elephant]

McGl meets all the criteria for a six

For me the pecking order for the Ireland back row positions is as follows.
Heaslip, POM
SOB, Henry
Ferris, McGl
.

Oldschool, any chance of a favour? Would there be any possibility that you could drop the G you keep putting in Kevin McLaughlin's name?

+1

[nelly the elephant]

Piri Weepu@PiriWeepu1049

"Great battle tonight! Well done to Ireland on a great game!! They made it tough! Full credit to them... Close call!! Shot DC #mrclutch"

At least the AB's have some class in their ranks...unlike their wholly ungracious captain!

[artaneboy]

We really should have won that. The worst the ABs have played in years and we still can't get over the line.

That was because we made them play like that.

Yes! And I have to say that, for once Kidney had a good game. Although I still think that if Reddan was there from the start (Murray's try or not) we would have won it. Jeez, the looked ordinary for once. McCaw's admission that it's been a long time since their scrum has been going backwards was almost the sweetest moment. All the pack were excellent.

[Mauler]

Great to see the mens team show some fcuking pride, unlike the ladies team in Poland last week.

[Cianostays]

An utterly heroic performance

Really proud of their effort today. They just seemed to have enough of being written off and fronted up big time. SO'B and Cian are now world class performers at the highest level.

A quick word for a player who has received a lot of criticism (admittedly some of it deserved) on here at times: Murray was excellent.

I'd say more than a few people on MF's are having to eat their words on Heaslip. He was huge in the 2nd half.

Send the same team out again next week and we can beat these BNZ's

[munster#1]

Great to see the mens team show some fcuking pride, unlike the ladies team in Poland last week.

Have leinster played a pre season game already? In Poland?

[illthinkofsomething]

An utterly heroic performance

Really proud of their effort today. They just seemed to have enough of being written off and fronted up big time. SO'B and Cian are now world class performers at the highest level.

A quick word for a player who has received a lot of criticism (admittedly some of it deserved) on here at times: Murray was excellent.

I'd say more than a few people on MF's are having to eat their words on Heaslip. He was huge in the 2nd half.

Send the same team out again next week and we can beat these BNZ's

Murray started poorly faffing about not knowing where the ball was taking an age to get the ball away - I think Franks fell asleep waiting for a pass for Murray's try - but then he upped it got the ball away faster and relased some pretty accurate box kicks. Perhaps the try took the pressure off hope this trajectory continues.

Dont presume kidney wont use this result as his reasoning for picking BOD at 12 and Earls at13, select Touhy and O Callaghan to start too. I have no faith in the fool, today's result has no bearing on his skill as a coach. On DArcy's injury he had a man who plays 12 at HC level on the wing and a HC wing on the bench yet he pushed sexton to 12......pretty sad to lose that and to have the ref be the turning point, if it is all about swings and roundabouts then I expect another Irish Grandslam soon and Wales to be reffed to death for a couple of seasons.....

Anyway a bit more Leinster and bit less Kidney for next week

[mhow]

http://www.rugbyrefs.com/content.php?136-scrum

Item on scrum from brian moore written in 2011 - see re wheel