New Zealand vs Ireland

[cyclopath]

That, or a variant, has been long-established practice. The refs will often reward a player who "seems to be playing for the ball" whether they are actually endeavouring to get it out or not. It's not new. Probably enables a more stable position and prevents being blown off the ball so easily. Smart if you can do it effectively. Obviously, if the ref decides you're bridging, not so clever.

 

[Alex]

Bridging is normally called against the attacking team looking to seal of the ball. Defenders often get pinged for diving over the top but I am not sure I have seen defending players called for bridging all that often. Its pretty hard to see but Sean O'Brien appeared to win two penalties for ABs not releasing when he didn't actually appear to be competing for the ball. I suspect there may have been at least a third time when he was penalised for going off his feet (where the NH commentators made a fuss about it being a harsh call) but he had one leg up in the air and so couldn't possibly have been supporting his weight on only one foot leaning forward. It looked like a conscious tactic to make the attacking team appear to be holding on when they weren't.

 

[cyclopath]

Yeah, maybe poor terminology on my part, but it is the same movement as attackers bridging - they are over the ball creating a bridge, only difference is they try to look like they're doing something to actually get the ball. They're probably more stable if they grab the tackled player and the ball rather than the ball alone.

 

[random205]

the bridging, pilfering and the ref all aside - are the AB's just too good for anyone? Richie and Steve state that they still have "a lot to improve on" where they still managed to beat a pretty much full ireland squad by a good 30 points? i mean, ireland are still a bloody good team and they still managed to completely outsclass the opposition as well as have multiple of their star players out!! (Cory Jane, Kahui, Kaino) !! as a wallabies fan and watching the game before the kickoff to the game involving the aussies take on wales, i was just breathtaken by the way the AB's were playing. there was an ovious pace difference which completely took the irish by storm and they had absolutely no answer to it!! and in direct contrast to the wallabies, yes it was a great game, but they in no way had the dominance that the All Blacks showed. im just mystified to whether a team like the wallabies can actually put up a fight to a team, which in all my years, i have never seen anything like it before. and as well as this, another threatening thing to point out is the fact that the AB's are now employing tactics involving the ball in hand AND NOT KICKING IT AWAY EVERYTIME THEY GET THE BALL. They very much cherish the ball, which is a massive threat considering all australian team kick it away all the time..
What are the All Blacks weaknesses and do they even have any??

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Random, I too noticed how much they kept ball in hand and opted for the more daring option quite often. This comes from a playing group who have total trust in the support play and option taking of those around them. It was beautiful to observe as a neutral. Running rugby, how the game is supposed to be played IMHO. It's not like the conditions were perfect either. Towards the end of the game rain was sheeting across the ground.

 

[Athilnaur]

I was surprised how the Irish lost their way. They got sucked into playing a fast game, something that would have been suicidal against Wales (or us), let alone NZ. Where was the spoiling play? It is not as if it wasn't working, we saw SBW get held up in exactly the same place and manner McCabe was last year, but instead shortly thereafter they were being sucked into playing a wide expansive game and failing to slow it down.

I think they psyched themselves out, and before long it was reality. Hopefully they saw enough to realise they can hold the kiwis to a much tighter game than that.

 

[Samo]

Yeah the failure to slow the ball seemed to be the key Athilnaur and was about the 1st thing O'Driscoll mentioned after the game, in saying that at times the irish breakdown work was really good, just couldn't consistently slow it

 

[Gnostic]

Random, I too noticed how much they kept ball in hand and opted for the more daring option quite often. This comes from a playing group who have total trust in the support play and option taking of those around them. It was beautiful to observe as a neutral. Running rugby, how the game is supposed to be played IMHO. It's not like the conditions were perfect either. Towards the end of the game rain was sheeting across the ground.

This is a key IMO. They train constantly not just at Test level but also at Super Level as evidenced by the play of the Saders, Canes and Highlanders to work so hard off the ball. The players without the ball run so hard in support and backing up it is like watching amateurs V Pro when they play non NZ opposition. I do not believe that their players are any better than any other country's, they are however far better prepared at all levels.

 

[Toddy]

Dan's kicking may have caused the Irish to lose their way a bit. Hitting that 55ish metre penalty meant the Irish had to be more careful where they infringed.

 

[Richo]

This is a key IMO. They train constantly not just at Test level but also at Super Level as evidenced by the play of the Saders, Canes and Highlanders to work so hard off the ball. The players without the ball run so hard in support and backing up it is like watching amateurs V Pro when they play non NZ opposition. I do not believe that their players are any better than any other country's, they are however far better prepared at all levels.

This really stood out to me in the Tahs v Saders game. Every Sader could put the ball through the hands, run in support, link with his outside man, etc. Of course, these were often to varying degrees of ability but it really did show that the base level of skill play was substantially higher than at the Waratahs. As a result, both group cohesion and building pressure through varied multi-phase play (not just pick and drive or tight forward play) were impressive.

Saw the same from the ABs on Saturday. They really do play a consistent, team-wide skill level that the Wallabies just aren't close to matching right now. Our x-factor players (Genia, Cooper, Beale, JOC (James O'Connor)) are individually as good as any in NZ, but our team work and ability to sustain pressure with ball in hand are leagues apart.

 

[Bardon]

Here's the Ireland team for the 2nd test. Disappointed that Reddan isn't starting as Murray was too slow in the first test.

Ireland: R Kearney, F McFadden, B O'Driscoll [capt], G D'Arcy, A Trimble, J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best, M Ross; D Tuohy, D Ryan; K McLaughlin, S O'Brien, J Heaslip. Replacements: S Cronin, D Fitzpatrick, D O'Callaghan, P O'Mahony, E Reddan, R O'Gara, S Zebo.

With the exception of D'Arcy in for Earls the changes make the team stronger. McLaughlin is a very different player to O'Mahony and brings more balance to the back row, would like to see O'Mahony come on at 8 for the last 20.

Still a hell of a lot of improvement needed from the first performance if we're to get anywhere near NZ.

 

[qwerty51]

Is Chris Henry in the mix? I thought he had a fantastic season for Ulster

 

[Bardon]

Henry is behind McLaughlin and O'Mahony, would like to see him get some game time on the tour but it will only happen if there's an injury or Deccie makes wholesale changes, which he doesn't have a reputation for.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

VENUE & TIME: New AMI Stadium, Christchurch, June 16, 17.35 (Men in Gold time)

TEAMS:
New Zealand1.Tony Woodcock, 2.Andrew Hore, 3.Owen Franks, 4.Brodie Retallick, 5.Sam Whitelock, 6.Adam Thomson, 7.Richie McCaw (captain), 8.Kieran Read, 9.Aaron Smith, 10.Daniel Carter, 11.Julian Savea, 12.Sonny Bill Williams, 13.Conrad Smith, 14.Zac Guildford, 15.Israel Dagg.

Reserves: 16.Hikawera Elliot, 17.Ben Franks, 18.Ali Williams, 19.Sam Cane, 20.Piri Weepu, 21.Aaron Cruden, 22.Ben Smith.

Ireland1.Cian Healy, 2.Rory Best, 3.Mike Ross, 4.Dan Touhy, 5.Donnacha Ryan, 6.Kevin McLaughlin, 7.Sean O'Brien, 8.Jamie Heaslip, 9.Conor Murray, 10.Jonathan Sexton, 11.Andrew Trimble, 12.Gordon D'Arcy, 13.Brian O'Driscoll, 14.Fergus McFadden, 15.Rob Kearney.

Reserves: 16.Sean Cronin, 17.Declan Fitzpatrick, 18.Donncha O'Callaghan, 19.Peter O'Mahony, 20.Eoin Reddan, 21.Ronan O'Gara, 22.Simon Zebo.

REFEREE: Nigel Owens

 

[It is what it is]

Love the way the AB players support from behind.
If lateral passes aren't on, every player knows that support will come from behind.

Sam Whitelock gave a great exhibition of trailing support play for a lock. He checks his running style and pace so as to not over run the ball, something our Wallaby forwards could learn from.
Watch his running lines and body height too.

All the pre 1st Test talk seemed to be about Retallick but Whitelock is playing superbly.

 

[The Red Baron]

oh gee, Ireland have really turned up to play so far. Good try to Murray.

 

[FrankLind]

Ireland leading. 5 nil up with conversion to come. They look fired up.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Irelands mauling has been very good early on. I'd be using more of it. Whether they can keep the composure & the intensity is the big question. Hope they can!

 

[The Red Baron]

This will be a cracker of a game if Ireland can keep up their intensity.

 

[The Red Baron]

Sextons clearing kick earlier on when the Irish were under pressure was top shelf.