Ireland v the all blacks

[Rosco]

Savage start by Ireland.

Four mins in we've had complete control and lead 7-0. I wonder how long it can last !

 

[Rosco]

Bod with a fuck up in our 22

Dodge

 

[Rosco]

The pick and go from the pack torches the All Blacks, Best goes over.

12-0

 

[Leo]

Intensity has been superb.
Backed up inches from our own try line and to go down the field for a try is the stuff of dreams.
Need to keep our composure now.

 

[Leo]

Sean o brien is in beast mode today

 

[Leo]

Best off unfortunately.
More great work to win a penalty.
This is too good to be true.

 

[Leo]

Haha this is just insane!!!

 

[Rosco]

Getting crucial turn overs every time NZ get to the 22.

Owens isn't doing us any harm either!

Best gone off though, which is a blow.

Kearney runs one in from the 22 !

19-0.

More points that minutes

 

[Leo]

Unlucky from sexton still 19-0
Nonu and Dagg are going to hurt us in the long run here I reckon.

 

[Leo]

Another defensive effort of the highest order need to win this scrum though!

 

[Rosco]

Great start.

But we're going to see a backlash soon. But with a lead we can play percentages, put them back in their half and wait for mistakes.

 

[Leo]

Lucky there from D Kearney it's looking like our day.

 

[Leo]

Fairly jinxed that.
Ireland cut wide open 19-7

 

[Rosco]

19-7

Good play by the all blacks, nice chip for the try

 

[Rosco]

Smart response by us, high balls, good pressure and putting Dagg under pressure with the grubber.

Line out in the 22

 

[Leo]

O Connell rolling back the years with a dynamic display.

 

[Leo]

22-7 easy penalty for Johnno
Brilliant display up from the pack so far.

 

[Leo]

First penalty conceded after 35 minutes is impressive.
Need to keep it that way.

 

[Rosco]

And Kearney keeps the ball in.

We're getting everything our way. 22-7 after 36 mins.

We need to maintain the intensity in defence and at the breakdowns. If we do that and just play rugby in their half we can stay on top

 

[Rosco]

Our front row is getting through an ungodly amount of work - carries, tackles, breakdowns. Amazing to see

 

[Leo]

Half time.
That was just brilliant to watch.

 

[Rosco]

Best half of rugby I've ever seen. Although we've been up against them before at Lansdowne as RTE mentioned - I was at that game.

Awesome stuff. Blood and guts rugby, but with a streak of cleverness running through it. When they wanted to fan out we were picking and popping and getting cheap yards close to the rucks which gave us the momentum to score those tries. Now they're competing more at the breakdown we're spreading the ball a bit.

Good coaching and a gameplan being perfectly executed thus far.

 

[Rosco]

I've never seen us knock the All Blacks back one on one so much

 

[Leo]

Yep it was awesome in almost every aspect of the game.
Makes you think what could have happened if Schmidt was in charge 50 months ago.

 

[Leo]

I've never seen us knock the All Blacks back one on one so much

Does this stem from pure intensity or a well thought out game plan?
Either way it's impressive and will have coaches around the world watching the replay of that 40 minutes.

 

[Rosco]

Does this stem from pure intensity or a well thought out game plan?
Either way it's impressive and will have coaches around the world watching the replay of that 40 minutes.

A bit of both

The pick and pop wouldn't have worked as well without the physicality from us. We're dominating up front - either a sign one pack is better than the other or a sign one team wants it more than the other. We've got a good pack, but I think what we've seen is the will to win shine through.

They can easily do the same in the second 40 though

 

[Rosco]

I know Carter is out (not unusual), but is it a full strength team otherwise ?

 

[Leo]

I know Carter is out (not unusual), but is it a full strength team otherwise ?

I think their front row is not at full strength but apart from that it is I think.

 

[Rosco]

I think their front row is not at full strength but apart from that it is I think.

Some of the players just look like they're getting old and this is one game too many this season

McCaw just got driven back by O'Mahony pretty easily

 

[Rosco]

great lineout steal by Toner.

But we lost the ball at the ruck