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'We sort of owe them one' - All Blacks haven't forgotten 2016 and 2018 defeats to Ireland
Ahead of New Zealand’s blockbuster quarterfinal against Ireland, the defending champions haven’t forgotten that night in Dublin last November where they were usurped in an Irish siege.
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Hooker Dane Coles came off the bench that night, returning to rugby on that tour after a horror run of injuries that plighted nearly two years of his career. Having pushed through that adversity, Coles knows when you have to put some things behind you, which is what he says is important for the All Blacks to do now.
“We were beaten by the better team. We are not making excuses because it was the end of our season. We never have (made excuses). We just lost the game. They took their chances, and we didn’t,” he recalled to the media of the 2018 encounter.
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“I hope it doesn’t happen again. It’s important we don’t look back. World Cups are different. They (Ireland) get the same respect, because they have knocked us, but it’s very different in the World Cup.”
The All Blacks aren’t sure how Ireland are thinking after they stuttered through pool play, being upset by hosts Japan who ended up the top qualifier. Although they have had success over New Zealand recently, a World Cup is a very different environment which Ireland has found out once again.
“I’m not sure how they’re thinking. They’ve got a recipe to put us under pressure but we all know that being at a World Cup is very different.”
Coles’ history with Ireland goes back to 2013 when many Irish fans will remember the last pass he delivered to Ryan Crotty for the extra-time try that silenced 80,000 fans at the Aviva to rob Ireland of what would have been their first-ever win over New Zealand.
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That was a lifetime ago before Coles’ first World Cup-experience, a triumph on England soil as the All Blacks went back-t0-back in 2015. When asked to compare the two World Cups, Coles says it is definitely not any easier.
“Definitely not easier. As you get older the carcass takes a bit longer to warm up. It’s exciting. I have the same excitement as I did in 2015.”
Another All Black front-rower, Joe Moody, wasn’t part of last year’s 16-9 loss but was a member of the 2016 side that got trumped in Chicago by Ireland for the first time ever.
“I suppose it’s a little bit at the back of your mind,” he said of Ireland’s recent success over New Zealand.
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“It just reminds you we sort of owe them one but, at the same time, it’s not something we dwell on or focus on. They have got a couple on us in recent history but it wouldn’t matter who we’re playing this week. We have to win.”
Moody’s second career outing against Ireland was the return test in Dublin that many dubbed a ‘thuggish’ retribution as the All Blacks’ sought vengeance. If that match is anything to go by, the All Blacks will be looking to lift the intensity levels to make up for the 2018 result.
Although with a World Rugby crackdown on high tackles,
they cannot afford to be as reckless as in that 2016 Dublin test, which saw the team criticised for multiple high shots. Moody knows the side will be very disciplined in the contact area.“We know you just can’t afford to go anywhere near the head. It’s very black and white.”
One man that will be in the All Blacks sights is reigning World Player of the Year Jonathan Sexton, who is so integral to Ireland’s success. Flanker Matt Todd was pretty blunt about confirming their plan is to put him under pressure.
“You want to try to put the playmaker under pressure but it’s easier said than done. That’s certainly our plan. We want to take away his time, take away his space and make it as hard for him as we can because he’s such a key player for them,” he said.
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Comments on RugbyPass
late hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
4 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
24 Go to comments