againstthehead wrote:
PS thought Ferris had a dodgy defensive display - at fault for a couple of tries?
Tried a rush up on All Blacks for their last try... not so sure if he was at fault as I think they would've scored eventually.
Don't think he had a dodgy defensive display myself, made all his tackles and his rucking was solid. At one point he was the only Irishman to enter a ruck against three AB's
I also thought stevie could have done more to wrap up kaino before he off loaded to read and I think there were a couple of other times when he stepped out of the line and went looking for a big hit. Nevertheless he was responsible in the main for nullifying the threat of mccaw at rucks. When was the last time ritchie went 80's without a turnover.
Ferris frustrated over All Blacks' tactics
Stephen Ferris has expressed his dismay that New Zealand escaped punishment for their cynical play at the breakdown in yesterday’s 38-18 victory over Ireland.
‘Streetwise’ is the term used to describe the All Blacks’ mastery of slowing down or killing opposition ball, yet rivals often question how they evade greater censure from referees.
That sense of injustice lingered at the Aviva Stadium where Ireland’s final-quarter siege was repeatedly undermined by the grand slam-chasing tourists’ unwillingness to concede quick ball.
Even when a yellow card seemed inevitable, referee Marius Jonker refused to fill the sin-bin, leaving Ferris to admire and resent their adeptness at spoiling in equal measure.
“If I’d been a referee I would have handed out a couple of yellow cards,” said the Lions blindside flanker, a try scorer in the first half.
“It’s hard because when you’re in the middle of the pitch you get fast ball, but when you’re in their 22 it keeps getting killed.
“It’s the same old faces that are doing it, but they’re good at it and get away with it. Richie McCaw did a great job at slowing it down.
“Peter Stringer was screaming at the referee a couple of times to try and get the ball away quicker. It’s frustrating, but they’re also good at poaching the ball legally.”
The obviousness of New Zealand’s methods made Jonker’s refusal to reach for his cards baffling, but the South African’s inaction hardly affected the outcome.
A salvo of two tries in four minutes scored by Kieran Read and Sam Whitelock shortly after half-time gave the All Blacks an unassailable 33-13 lead.
Ireland’s response was to rattle the tourists, who were left scrambling furiously, with Brian O’Driscoll’s sensational one-handed pick-up and finish rewarding their endeavour.
Attacking with exuberance and defending heroically, it was probably their best display of a troubled year yet they still fell well short of a first victory in the fixture in 24 attempts.
Ireland initially refused to take solace from having subjected the All Blacks to such a difficult evening, instead focusing on the result, but Ferris gleaned some satisfaction.
“The scoreline maybe flattered them a bit,” said the Ulster player. “There were a lot of tired bodies afterwards but New Zealand knew they had had a tough game too. It was fast and furious and a good spectacle.
“Speaking to everyone in the dressing room afterwards it didn’t feel like we had lost by 20 points. It felt like we’d lost by a few points.
“I know what the result says but the boys felt it was a lot closer and we’ll take great confidence out of the performance.”
For Ferris, it was New Zealand’s ability to keep the scoreboard moving that ultimately set them apart.
“We defended for a lot of the game. When New Zealand had an opportunity they took it,” he said.
“When we made a mistake they capitalised quickly, getting three points or a score. We were playing catch-up a bit in the second half.
“We had them under the pump for a while in the final quarter but that spell after half-time when they scored two tries showed what New Zealand can do.
“One minute you’re three points behind and the next it’s 20. We learnt a lot from the match.
“If we’d cut out those silly errors and got our heads right for the 10 minutes after half-time it could have been completely different.
“New Zealand scored some good tries and were very clinical. We have to be more like that ourselves.”
Ferris can be disappointed that he was fended but he actually had a grip on Kaino before Fitz hit him and would have taken him down. Its a hard call but Fitzgerald has to trust Ferris to make that tackle and cover Reid. If he did the AB's most likely would have run out of room down that side. 14 hits and a try is a decent return for him. I thought that he and Heaslip were (once again) our standout performers.
Ferris did miss two tackles but he saved a try, scored a try and helped make a try so I think he'll survive the criticism!
From the rolling glens of Antrim through the hills of Donegal we will stand and shout for Ulster as we win both scrum and maul from the lovely lakes of Fermanagh tae the shores of ould Lough Gall we will scream and shout for Ulster as we beat them one and all!
Winning percentage for all major test rugby-playing nations (played, won, percentage):
New Zealand 471 353 74.95
South Africa 394 249 63.20
France 655 363 55.42
England 631 334 52.93
Australia 476 247 51.89
Wales 611 313 51.23
Scotland 594 252 42.42
Argentina 205 86 41.95 Ireland 600 251 41.83
Italy 202 57 28.22
- NZPA
For those still bleating about Ireland not being world-beaters, here is the proof that you are right. Thank god for the last decade.
Before you insult somebody you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you insult them you'll be a mile away and have their shoes!
Bullshit: the art of making the idiotic sound sensible.
Times I just sits and thinks, and times I just sits.
as this is worked out over such an extended period, a statistician such as myself will take this, leave it, and instead look forward to getting home and updating both my iPad and iPhone 4 with the new operating system that apple have announced overnight.
however, perhaps more worrying, when unable to sleep last night and browsing the net on my iPhone 4 in the small hours, i read somewhere that Scotland have now leapfrogged Ireland in the world rankings. Ireland are now 7th.
Perhaps cables will verify/correct, and in all likelihood provide his own data proving that the official IRB ranking are only accurate to 1/500th of a second and that a number of rounding errors over the years have contributed to erroneous data being published.
Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious.
