Ireland may have fired their best shot already in this series
I’m not sure I’d want Dane Coles as my doctor.
Coles definitely didn’t break the news gently to viewers on Saturday night. No, the All Blacks’ third-string hooker basically pronounced the team dead at Eden Park.
Such was Ireland’s apparent dominance, and Coles’ gloomy prognosis when Sky crossed to him on the sideline, that the final outcome came as some surprise.
Ultimately, I was disappointed by Ireland.
Their scrum was lamentable and I thought they played too laterally. The All Blacks can be beaten up the middle and Ireland didn’t do enough to exploit that.
Would the final 42-19 scoreline have been different if Johnny Sexton stayed on the field? Maybe.
But he didn’t and the All Blacks won at a canter.
I’m being slightly facetious about Coles, but there’s no doubt his first-half television interview was sobering.
Coles basically said the All Blacks were being beaten in all the effort areas and you could sense his frustration at being lumbered with a waterboy’s bib and microphone. The team was getting done and he wanted to be out there doing something about it.
That, allied to my disappointment with Ireland, means I’m hesitant to lavish too much praise upon the All Blacks and curious to see how things go with Ian Foster back in camp.
There’s no doubt the events of last week were good for the team.
Players are a bit spoon-fed at times, but the Covid-enforced absences of coaches Foster, John Plumtree, Scott McLeod and Greg Feek meant some self-sufficiency was required.
Blokes had to take ownership for the preparation, which clearly had some positives.
Ally that to the appearances in camp of Joe Schmidt and Mike Cron and you had quite a cohesive and confident All Blacks team at Eden Park.
My fear now is that Ireland have fired their best shot and that we might not have the contest on our hands that we imagined.
I’d go dull if I were Ireland. I’d pick Conor Murray at halfback, for instance, and kick the bladder out of the ball.
I’d play tight, I’d maul and I’d pray the set pieces hold up a bit better.
I mentioned Coles at the top because it’s easy to be seduced by the final score. To proclaim that all’s right with the All Blacks again and that one of these mythical corners has been turned.
It might have, but one fairly dominant half of football is too small a sample size.
That wasn’t the tune Coles was singing. He saw the first half an hour of footy and thought here we go again.
The team couldn’t control the collision, Ireland was rolling forward and he believed things looked pretty grim.
I think it will be good for rugby and good for the All Blacks if Ireland win this week.
Just because Ireland weren’t able to adequately exploit the All Blacks’ weaknesses doesn’t mean there aren’t any. The more those are exposed now, the better the All Blacks can be at next year’s world cup.
Complacency kills Rugby World Cup campaigns and I’d say the prevailing view in New Zealand since Saturday night is that Ireland aren’t much good. They’re competitive, sure, but the All Blacks are still 15 to 20 points better.
I hope Ireland prove that wrong. I hope they compete for 80 actual minutes and make things a darn sight closer than 42-19.
We’ll thank them for it in the long run.
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
4 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
11 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
11 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
3 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
4 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
11 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
11 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
3 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
3 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
11 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
11 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
11 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
11 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
11 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
11 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to comments