Originally posted by 1984ioc
Originally posted by Waiboy
I think your chances are getting better.. because you've had so many injuries the NZRU have allowed you to take a couple of guys from Super Rugby that are coming off contract at the end of the season anyway:
http://www.allblacks.com/news/20756/Super-rugby-to-rescue-IRE-injury-woes
Probs with link Waiboy.
Sorry, joke fail. 
Originally posted by 1984ioc
Missed the game so can't comment too much until i get the highlights.Obviously happy with the improvement but don't know whether to be happy or gutted overall.Was hoping we could at least put in one huge effort in the test series and we have got that but doesn't fill me with optimism going into the last game.I expect a backlash along with the fact that our squad must be wrecked at this stage.52nd week now for most of the players this season so surely tiredness will play a major factor in the last game.Congrats on the series win anyway and at least we gave ye a game today.
It's an ugly one, feel great to give the ABs a game when pretty much nobody gave Ireland a chance of getting within 20 points, or feel horrible at another missed opportunity. I know which I'd feel, second is nowhere especially in the face of history.
Outstanding defensive effort from Ireland, and I think it's fair to say poor handling from the ABs helped keep your lads in it. The stats are mostly in favour of NZ so I think that shows pretty clearly how well the Irish defense manned up.
In attack though Ireland didn't have enough fire power. There were stretches where Ireland had multiple phases on or around the 22 meter line, spread the ball side to side, but didn't make any territorial gains. They were unable to get over the advantage line at all most of the time, whereas the ABs almost always made meters when in possession of the ball. I figure this was most clearly demonstrated in the way the ABs got back into the match from 10 nil down. They almost marched upfield at will and forced penalties to draw back to make that 9-10 score line at half time.
I have to agree too, Ireland will in all likelihood have to go up a gear for the last match, and it's hard to believe they'll have the fuel to do so (the RWC Quarter final probably shows that better than anything, after that epic pool win v the Aussies).
Originally posted by 1984ioc
Poor Welsh also and England left it a bit too late to after a horrendous first half although the S Africans were extremely good at times.Really hope the NH teams don't go home with a complete white wash of series.
Haven't caught up with the details of the England game, other than they got pumped. As for the Welsh, I've seen them throw away a test match in exactly the same way against Australia before. 2 minutes to play, you have the lead and possession at the half way mark. DON'T F'ING KICK THE BALL TO THE DESPERATE OPPOSITION. All they needed to do was kill two minutes and they win. Really, really poor and the Aussies don't need to be asked twice to try to win a game.
Hope the city enjoyed its first game since the earthquake too.
Edit: I'm gutted as usual,no point pretending otherwise
It was an epic test match, worthy of the occasion, and I can only say well done Ireland for showing as much resilience as they did.
Originally posted by HollyMichelle
Gutted, deserved the win - or at the very least a share of the spoils. Poor refereeing in the last ten minutes pretty much costed us the draw.
Firstly, the ball was not knocked on in the final five minutes to give NZ to initiative. The ref let play continue but the touch judge made the final call. Incidentally they never showed a replay of it 
It's not unusual for dodgy decisions to not get the proper review - thank God for DVRs for the average punter.
I can't agree on blaming the decision making of the match officials though. Always and forever the onus falls on the players to accept responsibility for a loss. Ireland had ample, quality attacking possession that they couldn't convert into points. Had they managed to make more of their good quality ball referee decisions don't enter into things. In the heat of the moment focusing on certain decisions is inevitable, but really you can never blame the officials.
Originally posted by HollyMichelle
The resilience the team showed was nothing short of epic. The AB's were shell shocked and the incident with Dagg/Kearney showed that. That brute should not be let near a rugby pitch again. Really disgusting behaviour and he was rightly binned.
Twelve hours later and I'm still annoyed.
Least they put some pride back into the country.
Completely agree with your point on the Irish resilience. They did themselves and their country/countries/provinces (?) a great deal of credit and earned a mountain of respect.
Completely disagree with most of the rest of that paragraph though. 
I was fortunate enough to be able to access the Irish commentary for the match and so I guess I would have listened to the game as you heard it. I felt the commentators overstated the "shell shocked" aspect a lot. What I think drove those comments were the poor handling of the ABs, and I think some of the reason for that had to be the near freezing conditions that are night rugby in the South Island in mid Winter.
In fact I thought the ABs showed a mountain of composure to systematically work their way back into the game in the balance of the first half. There didn't appear to be much frustration from the players (Ali Williams aside, and he's gone feral this season (or more obviously feral) after his record breakingly terrible season with the Blues).
As for the Dagg/Kearney incident I think that was nowhere near as poor as you think, and certainly the commentators suggested. Dagg was in the air as Kearney kicked and, to quote one of the better lines of commentary I've ever heard, unless he has a parachute in his pants he's not going to be able to pull out of the contact. It looked to me that as soon as he realised he wasn't going to be able to deflect/charge down the ball, he turned to brace for the contact. He certainly didn't fly elbow forward straight for Kearney's chin - an if he was trying to, he did a terrible of job of it. His alternative at that point is to go into the contact knees first, head first, or back first. He turned, caught contact, and got binned. I've seen much worst not get pinged, and didn't really think too much of the incident at the time it happened, or on replay. I guess the match review board will make the ultimate call on that one.
As a summation, for me, watching that match I never felt worried. I never felt the ABs looked panicked (nor should they, they've been in those situations a lot over the last decade or so, and spent the last 4.5 years preparing for matches like that in the build up to the RWC). They were certainly frustrated at their handling, and they clearly had adjusted their gameplan to account for the exceptional Irish defence. DCs first (disgrace of a) drop goal attempt is a testament to that change of intent.
I have to say I did expect the ABs to kick away in the last 25 minutes, which Ireland managed to avoid. That is probably the real indication of the quality of Ireland's play. It is those last minutes of the game where the ABs traditionally kick away, and for Ireland to hold them as well as they did was an outstanding effort.
I'm very much looking forward to the last match of the series and expect that it should be a real cracker down in the 'tron this coming Saturday.
from the Germans later on 
