Ireland & the All Blacks

[JoshL]

Fantastic job by Ireland yesterday to beat the All Blacks, congratulations guys! See, they can be beaten after all.

Joshua

[Tymeric]

Yes, an excellent result....not just for the Northern Hemisphere, but for rugby in general.... expect a backlash for the return match in 2 weeks time.
Should be a cracker....

[JPGH]

Over the moon over the result. Watched it on BT and watched recording again. Will watch again this week and maybe again next week!
Dublin game should be a classic. Well done boys in green.
JPGH

[youfoolishboy]

Managed to watch this today Ireland put in the full 80 mins and deserved to win. ABs looked like normal to me, ie not off form, give them the ball and a sniff of the line an they will score but Ireland keep the ball and pressed hard when they didn't and made the ABs look human. Who know what will happen in Dublin now. Ruined my weekend next week though I am off to the Italy v ABs game, Italy are now in for a fearful thrashing and Connor O'Shea better start speaking Italian in the pre match stuff so not to upset the ABs.

[Guzz]

Very well played Ireland. I would have been happy to go to my grave with the ABs never having lost to Ireland - but it was not to be. Maybe Scotland is next....

For me the ABs were very slightly below their best - 3 or 4 lineouts lost in the first half and too many turnovers. Not sure those things would have made a difference. They almost pulled it back but when they needed to strike the hammer blow they seemed to lose their composure (with 10 mins to go). Goes to show what pressure can do.

Also illustrates to me that there isn't really that much between the top teams.

Cheers
Guzz

[toofast2live]

And all those yanks who know nothing of the game got to see it.

Hopefully the start of improving visibility of rugby over there!

[youfoolishboy]

Yes Guzz we have the All Blacks in our sights now any time in the next 10 years I guess.
As for the Americans they have already beaten the ABs since they beat them at 7s, at least that was what the American commentator I heard at a game a while back thought :0)

[Tymeric]

Goes to show what pressure can do.

It does seem to be their achilles heel

Ordinarily, the AB's appear invincible, some of the recent game play has been stunning......playing 7's with 15.

...but when they're rattled, it seems to bring a level playing field..... but the opposition have to be up for it for the whole 80+ mins

Anyone know if the France v NZ game will be available in the UK...?

[didds]

it will undoubtedly end up on youtube in full

didds

[youfoolishboy]

ABs are like most teams they cannot score without the ball and Ireland kept it well and when they lost it played rush defence mostly and closed any space the AB backs could use. Easy tactics its doing them for 80 minutes is the problem which is what Ireland did. I have a feeling the death of Foley played a party in their focus, the prematch formation of the number 8 whilst they faced the Haka shows they were in a mind to commemorate a friend.

[unperplex]

Any thoughts on the upcoming England v. Boks ?
Eddie could be said to have problems with his squad (I think 10 of his first choice players injured)
Do people think England can do the business on the Boks (i.e. Bully them enough up front) ?
I recollect seeing Martin Johnson's England pack getting a pushover try against the Boks (I think it might even have been in SA).This was a sign of that teams quality on the way to the World Cup victory.
Can they do it this time ?