Get your bets in for the All Black Squad for the june tests

[bobbilycious]

The other about having SBW at wing is that will mean we need to play Nonu, who could probably do with a rest considering he was playing in Japan in what would have been his off-season.

 

[austingtir]

I still dont see why Dagg is an auto selection at fullback. Ben smith at full back and then Dagg on the wing. Dagg needs a wake up call. He's been pretty average right though the super15. Muliaina was a far better defensive player than Dagg will ever be. Smith to me has the potential to be another Muliaina. Dagg has lots of x factor but i cant see him keeping it up for more than another season before teams will read him like a book like Cullen. (if that hasnt happened already).

This Irish team to me actually looks half decent and if you recall the games in the world cup when they were on a roll. This could actually be quite a good series.

 

[nickdnz]

I still dont see why Dagg is an auto selection at fullback. Ben smith at full back and then Dagg on the wing. Dagg needs a wake up call. He's been pretty average right though the super15. Muliaina was a far better defensive player than Dagg will ever be. Smith to me has the potential to be another Muliaina. Dagg has lots of x factor but i cant see him keeping it up for more than another season before teams will read him like a book like Cullen. (if that hasnt happened already).

This Irish team to me actually looks half decent and if you recall the games in the world cup when they were on a roll. This could actually be quite a good series.

I read that and went from confused, to annoyed, to hateful.

Disagree with pretty much all of that.

 

[Cave Dweller]

The other about having SBW at wing is that will mean we need to play Nonu, who could probably do with a rest considering he was playing in Japan in what would have been his off-season.

I think the SBW and Nonu issue is not a difficult a people believed it to be. Look to the future. Who will be around for selection in the future and be there for 2015? SBW is younger and will be a better investment. Nonu has experience but so does Carter who can control a game brilliantly.

I still dont see why Dagg is an auto selection at fullback. Ben smith at full back and then Dagg on the wing. Dagg needs a wake up call. He's been pretty average right though the super15. Muliaina was a far better defensive player than Dagg will ever be. Smith to me has the potential to be another Muliaina. Dagg has lots of x factor but i cant see him keeping it up for more than another season before teams will read him like a book like Cullen. (if that hasnt happened already).

This Irish team to me actually looks half decent and if you recall the games in the world cup when they were on a roll. This could actually be quite a good series.

He is a Crusader so he has the auto start luxury.

Cullen I do not agree. Everyone know what he's going to do but stopping him was another issue. Yes he got older and lost a yard or two but that life. They did not do him any justice by putting him in the centre. But he did not become less efective due to people reading him like a book but because he reach the stage where his international career came to a end due to him getting older and losing that yard or two.

 

[Larksea]

Dagg will start at 15, sure he hasn't been at his best but he wil lift for the All Blacks, Heck Mills was often under par for the chiefs over the last few years but always did a fantastic job for the AB's. I am looking forward to smith getting a run though.

The Irish will be really targeting this series to create history and get a serious monkey off their back by winning a game against the All Blacks Irish rugby is on a high and they have kept on most of their squad from the world cup that kinda did not get to where they should have with their ability.

Where as the All Blacks have a new coach, a swag of new players, a short buildup in the middle of super rugby and a touch of world cup win hangover to boot.

Seems a lot of people and a lot of it is to do with the media write the Irish offlistening to radio sport they make it should like the series is a forgone conclusion.

I think it would be a forgone conclusion if the AB's were under Henry and Smith. Kaino, Thorn, Mealamu, Boric and Mills weren't missing and McCaw and Carter were in good form. But that's not the case...

The Irish will smell blood and it makes the series interesting.

 

[big ginger 8]

Dagg will start at 15, sure he hasn't been at his best but he wil lift for the All Blacks, Heck Mills was often under par for the chiefs over the last few years but always did a fantastic job for the AB's. I am looking forward to smith getting a run though.

The Irish will be really targeting this series to create history and get a serious monkey off their back by winning a game against the All Blacks Irish rugby is on a high and they have kept on most of their squad from the world cup that kinda did not get to where they should have with their ability.

Where as the All Blacks have a new coach, a swag of new players, a short buildup in the middle of super rugby and a touch of world cup win hangover to boot.

Seems a lot of people and a lot of it is to do with the media write the Irish offlistening to radio sport they make it should like the series is a forgone conclusion.

I think it would be a forgone conclusion if the AB's were under Henry and Smith. Kaino, Thorn, Mealamu, Boric and Mills weren't missing and McCaw and Carter were in good form. But that's not the case...

The Irish will smell blood and it makes the series interesting.

Are you actually trying to make N.Z. underdogs against us? :lol:

While we do have some players who are world class and some who may get to that level. We have a man called Declan Kidney in charge. He is an idiot. he's picked a fairly conservative squad and is nearly guaranteed to keep the same XV for every match. He has no idea how to maximise his players potential. Under him we play a pretty conservative game when we have players as shown at H Cup level to play a much more open brand of rugby. Knowing the players that will play we will admittedly have one game where the intensity from us is mental. Unfortunately whenever we do this versus the All Blacks raise your game. It ends up being an entertaining game but you guys win by about 20. I hope I'm wrong but history won't be rewritten this Summer.

 

[big ginger 8]

last time Ireland travelled to New Zealand after a World Cup year in 2008, it was even until 60 minutes, when New Zealand scored a try by Ma'a Nonu and won by 10 points (21-11), Michael Bradley I think was coach as caretaker at the time

In one of the tests yeah. The memory of our last tour kind of blocks that out. I'd actually rather Bradley over Kidney as well despite not particularly rating Bradley.

 

[Larksea]

I'm not saying NZ are underdogs.

But I think this is the best chance the Irish have got to beat the AB's in a very long time, maybe the best chance in the professional era so far.

new coaches, swag of new players, bunch of established players injured or no longer Eligible for selection and a short build up with the players being a part of super rugby the week before.

Look at the key players from the last couple years that wont be playing

Thorn
Kaino
Boric
Mealamu
Cowan
Mills
Jane
Kahui
Toeava

And that's not all, there are a swag of others and 2nd tier players not around as well.

Sure McCaw will both be on deck but both are on long term injury comeback

This is an ideal chance for the Irish to have a crack at actually having more points than the AB's after 80min of rugby.

The All Blacks back three has been the bane of northern teams for years and at this stage whatever back three is selected it will be the least experienced test combination we have had in a very very long time. No sivivatu, No Rokocoko, No Gear, No Jane, No kahui, No Mills, No Toeava

 

[admartian]

The Irish to sweep the series. Yep, that's right.

Hear me out.

It goes like this; we lose the first test by a close margin. Hansen panics and puts SBW at 10 (due to the SBW-nuthuggers and the women that think they know rugby/sport demand it). And instead of squaring the series 1-1, Hansen makes a slew of changes, including a bunch of players voted on by a panel of women and non-sports fans of nZ - including overhyped and popular athletes from the country/globe like Benji Marshall, Stephen Brett, Dillon Boucher, Brendan McCullum, and Ryan Nelsen (did I mention SBW? ).

Second test; the irish score 109-3 (thanks to a penalty goal by re-called All Black, Buck Shelford). But not even Buck can save a team full of "popularity" and "flash", but no substance.

Third test, the NZ public panics even more; fires Hansen, replaces him with Pat Lam - the only choice left as the NZRU can't retain the rest of our coaches as they've spent it all trying to re-sign SBW (his contract including movie deals, 3 album deal, and an ad to appear on Woman's Day magazine). We lose 20-3 (only because John Key passed a law that made tries scored by opposition teams to be worth only 1 point).

True story.

All this within the space of a month.






You heard it here first. :lol:

 

[Tadginator]

The Irish to sweep the series. Yep, that's right.

Hear me out.

It goes like this; we lose the first test by a close margin. Hansen panics and puts SBW at 10 (due to the SBW-nuthuggers and the women that think they know rugby/sport demand it). And instead of squaring the series 1-1, Hansen makes a slew of changes, including a bunch of players voted on by a panel of women and non-sports fans of nZ - including overhyped and popular athletes from the country/globe like Benji Marshall, Stephen Brett, Dillon Boucher, Brendan McCullum, and Ryan Nelsen (did I mention SBW? ).

Second test; the irish score 109-3 (thanks to a penalty goal by re-called All Black, Buck Shelford). But not even Buck can save a team full of "popularity" and "flash", but no substance.

Third test, the NZ public panics even more; fires Hansen, replaces him with Pat Lam - the only choice left as the NZRU can't retain the rest of our coaches as they've spent it all trying to re-sign SBW (his contract including movie deals, 3 album deal, and an ad to appear on Woman's Day magazine). We lose 20-3 (only because John Key passed a law that made tries scored by opposition teams to be worth only 1 point).

True story.

All this within the space of a month.






You heard it here first. :lol:

And they call me a troll

 

[big ginger 8]

I'm not saying NZ are underdogs.

But I think this is the best chance the Irish have got to beat the AB's in a very long time, maybe the best chance in the professional era so far.

new coaches, swag of new players, bunch of established players injured or no longer Eligible for selection and a short build up with the players being a part of super rugby the week before.

Look at the key players from the last couple years that wont be playing

Thorn
Kaino
Boric
Mealamu
Cowan
Mills
Jane
Kahui
Toeava

And that's not all, there are a swag of others and 2nd tier players not around as well.

Sure McCaw will both be on deck but both are on long term injury comeback

This is an ideal chance for the Irish to have a crack at actually having more points than the AB's after 80min of rugby.

The All Blacks back three has been the bane of northern teams for years and at this stage whatever back three is selected it will be the least experienced test combination we have had in a very very long time. No sivivatu, No Rokocoko, No Gear, No Jane, No kahui, No Mills, No Toeava

The underdog was a joke but you're still kind of downplaying it. I wouldn't really classify Boric or Toeava as key players and you're better off without Cowan. Also the back three while maybe less experienced will be no less talented. Dagg took over from Muliana and you've got the likes of Savea, A. Taylor, B. Smith, Guilford and Masaga. Secondrow I'll admit isn't as strong as it was but is still a good quality one and Hore ia more than adequate replacement for Mealamu.

Being a New Zealander and therefore removed from our envoirment I can't really ask you to grasp how big an idiot Kidney is. Here is the 99% nailed on starting 22 for Ireland:

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. O'Callaghan
5. O'Connell (possibly injured)/ Ryan
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Earls
12. D'arcy
13. O'Driscoll
14. Trimble
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Ryan/ Tuohy
19. O'Mahony
20. Boss
21. O'Gara
22. McFadden

All our actually at least pretty good players. Some I'm not happy about but Kidney won't change them. However when playing with Ireland only about 3 players are actually allowed play well in a match. Also just wondering how many of those players are actually heard of in N.Z. and how many are considered a possible threat?

 

[admartian]

The underdog was a joke but you're still kind of downplaying it. I wouldn't really classify Boric or Toeava as key players and you're better off without Cowan. Also the back three while maybe less experienced will be no less talented. Dagg took over from Muliana and you've got the likes of Savea, A. Taylor, B. Smith, Guilford and Masaga. Secondrow I'll admit isn't as strong as it was but is still a good quality one and Hore ia more than adequate replacement for Mealamu.

Being a New Zealander and therefore removed from our envoirment I can't really ask you to grasp how big an idiot Kidney is. Here is the 99% nailed on starting 22 for Ireland:

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. O'Callaghan
5. O'Connell (possibly injured)/ Ryan
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Earls
12. D'arcy
13. O'Driscoll
14. Trimble
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Ryan/ Tuohy
19. O'Mahony
20. Boss
21. O'Gara
22. McFadden

All our actually at least pretty good players. Some I'm not happy about but Kidney won't change them. However when playing with Ireland only about 3 players are actually allowed play well in a match. Also just wondering how many of those players are actually heard of in N.Z. and how many are considered a possible threat?

I've heard of probably 80% of those players. I don't see anything wrong with that squad. but then again, I'm not Irish.

And they call me a troll

I was clearly taking the ****. But hey, stranger things have happened. Like a Prop leading all try scorers in a Super Rugby competition. :lol:

 

[Cave Dweller]

I've heard of probably 80% of those players. I don't see anything wrong with that squad. but then again, I'm not Irish.


I was clearly taking the ****. But hey, stranger things have happened. Like a Prop leading all try scorers in a Super Rugby competition. :lol:

Or like the Marcus "Penalty try" Horan tactical sub in the game between Northampton and Munster

 

[bobbilycious]

I've heard of all those players. I haven't really thought about who I'd consider a threat. I've been thinking about our team more than yours. I guess the only thing that worries me is whether our forwards can get dominance or not. If we lost Boric last year it would have made little difference but this year it is a huge loss. Our options at lock look a little shaky. A pairing of Ali Williams and Sam Whitelock is a bit lacking in physicality (our most likely starting combination). Losing Kaino only makes this worse. Our blindside options are all a bit loose.
A pairing of Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick would be my preferred option. Brodie Retallick is a huge player (2.04m, 121kg) with an incredible work rate (he beat Brad Thorn's beep test record for second rowers). He hits an huge amount of rucks and makes a lot of tackles. He is only in his first year of SupeRugby, however. He is likely to be on the bench for most of the games.
If our forwards can give us good ball (and our backs can click) then I wouldn't be worried in the slightest, to be honest. As this will be our first game of the season with a lot of new faces I don't have much confidence that we will click. I wouldn't expect to for quite awhile.

 

[Dizzy]

The Irish to sweep the series. Yep, that's right.

Hear me out.

It goes like this; we lose the first test by a close margin. Hansen panics and puts SBW at 10 (due to the SBW-nuthuggers and the women that think they know rugby/sport demand it). And instead of squaring the series 1-1, Hansen makes a slew of changes, including a bunch of players voted on by a panel of women and non-sports fans of nZ - including overhyped and popular athletes from the country/globe like Benji Marshall, Stephen Brett, Dillon Boucher, Brendan McCullum, and Ryan Nelsen (did I mention SBW? ).

Second test; the irish score 109-3 (thanks to a penalty goal by re-called All Black, Buck Shelford). But not even Buck can save a team full of "popularity" and "flash", but no substance.

Third test, the NZ public panics even more; fires Hansen, replaces him with Pat Lam - the only choice left as the NZRU can't retain the rest of our coaches as they've spent it all trying to re-sign SBW (his contract including movie deals, 3 album deal, and an ad to appear on Woman's Day magazine). We lose 20-3 (only because John Key passed a law that made tries scored by opposition teams to be worth only 1 point).

True story.

All this within the space of a month.






You heard it here first. :lol:

This takes your SBW complaints to a whole nother level,.. why didn't you just say, The All Blacks lose all three tests because SBW wasn't able to play because he was busy destroying a meteor that was on a crash course with Earth hence him saving the world.

 

[Dizzy]

Losing Kaino only makes this worse. Our blindside options are all a bit loose.

I hate seeing this kinda stuff when we've got a guy named Victor Vito in our ranks..

 

[Cave Dweller]

This takes your SBW complaints to a whole nother level,.. why didn't you just say, The All Blacks lose all three tests because SBW wasn't able to play because he was busy destroying a meteor that was on a crash course with Earth hence him saving the world.

That will be the official statement. But the truth would be he was busy shagging 17yr old rich girls who's father he wants to beat up while Guildford and Jane were busy getting sloshed in a club somewhere

I hate seeing this kinda stuff when we've got a guy named Victor Vito in our ranks..

But he's got a 60 minute petrol tank.

 

[admartian]

This takes your SBW complaints to a whole nother level,.. why didn't you just say, The All Blacks lose all three tests because SBW wasn't able to play because he was busy destroying a meteor that was on a crash course with Earth hence him saving the world.

Like I said, the post was made clearly made in jest. As I was playing around with the notion that the ABs are somewhat vulnerable.

(read few posts up above mine re: the abck and forth about the ABs benig made underdogs)

Hey, if it isn't funny, then it isn't funny. But I'm allowed to at least TRY aren't I? :lol:



I mean, in what world is Pat Lam going to ever be the ABs coach?

Actually, scratch that. I don't want to tempt fate..... :mellow:

 

[bobbilycious]

I hate seeing this kinda stuff when we've got a guy named Victor Vito in our ranks..

I mean relative to Kaino.

 

[Aedaphon]

I mean relative to Kaino.

Vito is a class blindside. Kaino is a monster but I think any team in the world (including the ABs) would be happy to start him at 6.