Ireland v. New Zealand

[damianmcr]

Im gutted. Pure gutted.

But I want to see Ireland play like that every game come the 6N's.

[Dave]

How cruel sport can be. Gutted.

[Thelaw]

Aw feck

Far far better than I feared.

In fact I began to hope.

So close.

I wonder if Sexton will be mad to trot out and apologise for missing that kick, eh Joe?

[Russ]

I had written on 77 minutes, somebody get in the pocket, then didn't post it.

If we had a game manager on the pitch at the time, we would have dropped a goal.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

I wonder if Sexton will be mad to trot out and apologise for missing that kick, eh Joe?

Joe's fault with the selection .....



..... shoulda picked McKinney!

[Kofi Annan]

I wonder if Sexton will be mad to trot out and apologise for missing that kick, eh Joe?

Joe's fault with the selection .....



..... shoulda picked McKinney!

[againstthehead]

I had written on 77 minutes, somebody get in the pocket, then didn't post it.

If we had a game manager on the pitch at the time, we would have dropped a goal.

I think the reason Ireland got so close was also the reason Ireland lost. It was a caution to the wind approach built on a notion of 'nothing to lose' and a lot of hurt from last week. Oppertunity was there to close the game out bu just holding onto it.

Fair play NZ, incredible comeback away from home and with a ref who allowed a total free-for-all at the breakdown.

[interlooter]

I haven't enjoyed watching a game of rugby as much since the Heiny final we played Leinster in.
Properly got the blood pumping and I think I may ask for 6N tickets after that.
The best Ireland display for years and I only hope it continues.
We must compete like that in every game, not just when we are embarrassed in to it.
Joe knows he has the players to give anyone a game.
It's getting that level out of them with any consistency that will be his real job of work
Good luck to him, I say, and well done to every Ireland player

[BaggyTrousers]

Fair play NZ, incredible comeback away from home and with a ref who allowed a total free-for-all at the breakdown.

Don't be an arsehat Against, what you clearly intended to write was, that Nigel allowed both sides to play the breakdown the way NZ always play the breakdown.

I have no words for my disappointment.

[interlooter]

Fair play NZ, incredible comeback away from home and with a ref who allowed a total free-for-all at the breakdown.

Don't be an arsehat Against, what you clearly intended to write was, that Nigel allowed both sides to play the breakdown the way NZ always play the breakdown.

I have no words for my disappointment.

Chin up baggy, that performance gives me huge encouragement.
When the dust settles, I hope everyone is immensely proud, yet frustrated.
It gives us something very positive to build on and with some better Ulster players to come into the squad the future is a lot rosier than it was this morning.

[Neil F]

...and the papering over the cracks begins...

That was a massively improved performance. In the end, also a hugely disappointing result, although much better than I think most were expecting. The problem? The average age of the starting team today was 29. That includes four players well into their mid-30s. Does anyone really believe that such a small talent pool, with such an aged group of players, can really compete across 5 games in 7 weeks during the 6 Nations? Nothing should be taken away from the performance today but, in the absence of actually getting the result, it can only be meaningful if that level of performance can be repeated on a regular basis. I'm not convinced it can be.

Ireland still have problems with playing talent, depth and so on. Not much has been achieved this Autumn that will improve that, in my opinion. In that case, the question we need to ask is about whether an occasional good performance, like the one to day, is enough for us to suffer through the dross we witnessed against Australia last week? For me, the answer is a resounding no. In the absence of the result, today, that's where the focus should lie; otherwise, it becomes little more than another, "Nearly is good enough." It's not.

This is kind of what I mean.

We must compete like that in every game, not just when we are embarrassed in to it.
Joe knows he has the players to give anyone a game.

The second, for now, is correct - on their day, Ireland can give everyone a game but it relies a lot on luck, injuries and so on. These are not luxuries likely to be afforded to Ireland in the 6 Nations, for example, where it's about giving five teams a game across seven weeks. That is the problem - I don't believe Ireland can play like that in every game. Either they'll do so in a solitary game and be broken / knackered for the next and unable to replicate, or they will suffer injuries and default back to the Ireland we saw against Australia.

[againstthehead]

it's a typical papering over the cracks performance really. NZ didn't turn up and the ref did. Yes, Ireland played superbly well but nothing to lose and at home against a changed side after a long season. I was going to stick a tenner on ireland at 10-1 on friday and was raging at half-time I didn't lol.

Cracking game though -one of the best I've ever seen for sheer entertainment and drama at the end.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

When is Snipe gonna start his "In fairness to Ireland" thread, a la beagle?

A lot of similarities - can be inspired, or can be cr@p - just too inconsistent.

[breakdown]

Yes Owens let most things slip at the breakdown, but id rather see that which would lead to a good game of rugby rather than bein pinged at every ruck. Its no coindence Owens has reffed the two best games of rugby this year, refs should be following Owens example imo

Anyway, gutted about the result but still a fantastic performance, one of the best Irish games since probably vs Oz in 2011 RWC. Lots of positives to take but i really hope it wasnt a one off and we build on it, and play like that through the 6N.

[Rooster]

Did I miss anything only them breaking Rory in this corporate friendly ?