NZ V Ireland

No post World Cup slump for NZ, they were a joy to watch. Ireland gave it a go but NZ had answers for all they tried.I enjoyed the game it was hard but clean well played NZ.

The puny Ireland pack were only a few kilos heavier than than their junior side and were simply out muslced. Backs were also not up to it  again looked a little frail.

are joe, aplon and de jong the guys to play against the abs. Well quite obviously not. another nail in thr microlight coffin. Bwahahahahahahahahahahahah  small guys come second.

Frankly I am amazed at the stupidity of Ireland fielding a 874 odd kg pack. How dumb do you get. When will they ever learn.

Ireland humiliated.

The All Blacks played well - but they were up against a very weak side.   I think the Irish has gone backwards since the WC.   Very early to make statements about the All Blacks at this stage.   Have to see how they perform against real opposition.

As I said, Ireland are not a factor. Why so many tried to build them up beats me. I predicted a 50 pointer, not far off the mark. Mike, Ireland started to deteriorate during 2007.

Yes one cant read too much into this win although brycy,sitting bulle and hakwa will no doubt overemphasize its value.

We undoubtedly can pick a better pack and have the backs to wrap them up defensively. I give the Boks an edge on nz once we have settled down and got our new team properly selected.

The Irish have never been able to field a big pack. At their zenith they relied on being tough, nuggety and mobile. And they had a backline that could run the ball with purpose and keep the side moving forward. They were always flimsy playing tactical game; hence why most of the All Black's wins over Ireland over the past decade have been won by playing the percentages. Today though? Just smash them like England did.

Well lets see if ireland can imporove otherwise a very lopsided series is on the cards

When you are that weak, New Zealand's illegal tactics are impossibly potent. Ireland will go down in flames.

We joined twice from the side, got penalised rightly. Slowing down the play of the ball for the last 20 mins and playing ten man rubgy coz you're a fat forward pack, now that's illegal. Jersey pulling is also yellow card stuff, but they got away with that. Agreed not the Ireland of 3 yrs ago. Bok pack and set pieces will be a lot better than the Irish ones.

...sitting bull watching sky and see many stars rising last night...also enjoyed all green eyed irish squaws down irish pub... but too much mooloo magic in Kiwi backline rendered four leaf clover magic impotent...good start for new Kiwi coach Moonbean....Meyer muzzling a few barking dogs too perhaps...

I watched with great interest both the AB and Wallabie matches as they will be the real test for our Bokkies in the coming months.

Firstly lets get one of the usual issues out of the way and that is how did the ref go and TBH I thought he officiated pretty solidly and there may have been an issue with a jersey pull on Conrad Smith but overall no complaints.

The AB's played a pretty scary game considering the are historically slow starters. I know this wasnt the top Irish side but neither was it the top AB side considering they still have, Kaino, Mealamu, Kahui, Jane, Ellis, Nonu that they can slot in too boost their squad.

We can go on about how weak this Irish squad were but I doubt very much that the Bokkies or the Wallabies would have put any where near that pain on that team. I do fear that JDV and his backline troopers as well as limited scope that Morne offers us will be able to shut down what must be the most frightening backline to come out of New Zealand.

What worried me was the way that SBW continually bashed it up and all the Irish resurces thrown at him to stop him and yet they had the explosive power of Dagg, Savea and Carter to simply turn it back on the Irish and simply destroy them.....Thank goodness Frans is back as he has the bulk and class to match SBW as I am unsure if JDV has the speed to match that AB backline.

The AB forwards looked efficient and solid and their set peice looked better than ususal. One mention is the loose forwrad trio looked pretty good and there is no doubt in any ones mind that Kieran Reid is the best running forward on the planet and Spies will have his game cut out for him.

Well done AB's - If there was any fear of incompetence after winning the RWC then I think it has been tarnished a bit nonetheless, the Bokkie will be ready and waiting - we have a thinking coach and the power to match once we settle on the right squad

There was absolutely nothing impressive in that All Black performance whatsoever. I certainly won't offer praise - New Zealanders are more than capable of blowing their own horn. New Zealand are well known for putting big scores on minnows. This Irish side is a minnow, of that there was never any doubt. Wales were much more competitive and England were the best so far of the NH sides. To be honest with you, I can't see many of those All Blacks making the Boks.

$onny Bill Williams
He is very easily stopped. He enjoys popping offloads and running into space. Against a solid defence he gets frustrated and falters. I see the hype is starting to increase with him again, yet his game has not progressed at all. He is still a deeply flawed player. Frans will destroy this pretender should Nz be so stupid as to cast aside Nonu.

Dagg
He is a very silky runner, but his defence is quite poor and he tends to become erratic ala Cooper in tight games. Not an ideal player for a real test.

Carter
He is a spent force. He has been in decline for some time, but even his decision making has been off this season.

Read
He is a good player, but not as you say though. He is an important presence at the breakdown.

The big issue for New Zealand is that the spine of their team will be too old to make the next World Cup and there appears very little to replace them. That they have no quality locks is a very big concern.
 

@ der

I so wish I had your confidence hehe ....SA are pretty good at putting big scores on minnows hoever its a bit sticky stating Ireland as minnows when they have beaten us on more than once????

I dont know how we rate Englands performance as the best of the NH as you have two opposing teams playing similar styles with a penchant for 10 man rugby....Is that what you arre saying is the fuyture of SA rugby...for the sake of SA I hope you are joking????

Lets compare apples with apples and not be like these so called kiwis who blow their own horns as it is apparent to me that at this very moment they have every right to do so???? Nonetheless, we need not stoop to their levels and at least ackowledge the game in general.

I beg to differ about your confidence as the age concept can also be applied to the Bokkies...As for your assessment about the AB players who am I to disagree with you after all your opinion is your right....but wow if you think that certain players are spent forces or in decline then maybe we watched the wrong game

GO THE BOKS!!! 

#1 - Ireland are indeed minnows. As of now they are unable to front up in the set pieces or at the breakdown against any top test nation; something that even Georgia, Uruguay, Romania and Samoa can do. They were blown away by England, and New Zealand targeted their glaringly soft under-belly. So no, New Zealand's opponents were by far the worst of the three. As for Ireland's wins over the Boks? The first being via a try gifted by a ref in 2004, the second against a Bok sided fielded debutants and had most of the front line players rested, 2009 was due to Peter over-playing his first team and major tactical flaws in-game. 2010 Ireland were pulverised.

#2 New Zealand are not deserving of respect or recognition. They are a vile union that has been protected for far too long. How good would their record be were they to be playing a fairly managed game? Not so good. They certainly would have struggled to win the 2010 TNs and would certainly have never made it to the World Cup final - Argentina would have been the victors knocking them out.

#3 Carter has been diabolical all season. As age stands, most of their best players will be 34/35 for the next World Cup. Hell, they even had to reain a 37 year old lock such is their lack of depth in the second row. My assessment of their players has been very accurate to date, seeing through all the hype.


 

Aristokrat, we do enjoy it when safers talk us down - makes us more hungry to win! You are saying all the right things to fire us up!

@der,

If you want anyone to take you seious then you need to be serious otherwise it will be clear that you will  give all the ammunition that our most ardent opponents need to rile us right back. You are also coming across as a complete arse and I  need to actually question whether or not you are a rugby enthusiast, rugby purist or an ignorant fool? I am starting to seriously believe it is the latter of the three.

Rugby enthusiast and purists will give credit and admiration where it is due whether or not it is a Wallaby, Kiwi, Welsh or Bok....The more respectful we are the more respect we get back.......You always seem to have excuses for the Boks losing........I doubt that when our boys lose to the AB's or Wallabies that you hear them giving excuses other than well done to there opponents. Just as they do to us.

Be a bit more humble my friend so that the fall is not so far when we lose a game or two. But rejoice loudly with humilty when we win!!!!

 GO THE BOKKIES!!!!

Some nice running ball in hand stuff from the Irish which I thoroughly enjoyed but the AB's had an answer to their very best. Physicallity is what's lacking in the Irish team.

...kiwis looking good mockingbirds...ready for the best yarpies can throw there way....shit hole fields like at back of Moonbeans place can slow dynamo kiwi backline maybe...then tennis rugby or forceback could work in yarpies favour...as clevermike says , mud is a great leveller....slow grind it out rugby puts kiwis to sleep zzzzzzzzz...haha irish are minnows when they already kicked your butts... foot in mouth disease sitting bull thinks...ABs ready to give mockingbirds their medicine.....come and get your apples haha

@der aristokrat,

please dont be shy in hiding ur hatred for the All Blacks, but lets sum up ur two bit bob explanations on why the All Blacks victories over ireland are like the Boks losses to ireland in that they both dont matter.
All Blacks maintained their unbeaten run against thei irish cos the IRB 8th ranked irish are minnows, but the Boks last three losses to the irish were due to
- the ref
- too many new guys
- tactical errors and players playing too much

wow, u would almost be overbearing if it wasnt for the narcissism which ur blogs reek of and clearly explains ur rants.

oh so SBW is overrated??? was already excited about the francois steyn vs SBW rumbles, but ur simplistic analysis which is complete rubbish, is again explained by ur burning hatred for the All Blacks.
SBW gets over the advantage line nearly every single time and forces the opposition to congest the midfield because of him. u leave one defender to go one on one with SBW and pray theres no immediate support players, cos the support player will be busting through the line as SBW will easily free the ball for a pass or offload, assuming of course that SBW isnt free already.
SBW still has to sharpen up a few things like his handling error rate, but all that come over time. what i lioked most about his good performance against the irish, is he can still improve by 50%.
as solid a defender that francois is, i can only hope meyer trusts francois to go one on one with SBW. but alas, meyers not as delusional as ur comments and he will take the appropriate measures to negate his attacks.

carter got off to slow a start in the season, but he was recovering from his injury and the last few weeks in the spXV and his first test back, all signs point to another successful year with carter at the helm.
but oh wait, hes going to be one of those players who will be 34/35 by the next RWC. o_O really aristokrat??? are u aware that its 2012 not 2015??? of course going by ur simplistic/retarded comments on NZ rugby u probably arent.
and his decision making has been well off u say??? LMAO, well please continue to write of carter, it will make it all the more sweeter when ur blogging the reasons why the All Blacks won, which of course will have nothing to do with them deserving it, it will instead involve the ref, the IRB and the cast from jersey shore.

and read is a good player because he is important in the breakdowns, but not cos of his running game??? aristokrat u are the biggest knower around. knower meaning u think u know everything when u know jack sh!t.

read is the best running forward in the game bar nothing, infact his importance to the breakdown is minimal, as the ABs consider the breakdown everyones responsibility, so if ur in the vincity of the breakdown and it needs numbers, get involved, which read does. but his trademark is his powerful runs which has been consistently potent for the last 2 years.

and ur analysis on dagg, his defense is poor and becomes erratic like cooper, not an ideal player for a real test..................YAWN...........must remember to read ur blogs when im feeling tired, cos nothing puts me to bed like a good fairytale, which u are the master of.