Ireland v New Zealand - 8 November 2024

[Leonormous Boozer]

Handsome Josh doing some heavy lifting on the IRFU promo.

The time is local.

The jerseys are rotten.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Probably a more important game for us than them, NZ hit their bare minimum target on Saturday and can play with a bit less pressure.

I am a bit worried we're a team in decline and apart from the France game to start this year, we haven't put in a performance near the level the team had been at in 22 and 23. Having said that, we should still have enough to protect our home record.

Beating NZ generally comes down to not letting them build a score, suffocate them so individual brilliance isn't given the chance to come through and make them work hard for their points. We should be able to execute that and, although the attack has lacked fluidity this season, there's enough there to put a lot of oressure on NZ through sustained possession in dangerous parts of the pitch.

Heading on Friday, expect the Fields to drown out the haka (and for Ireland to stand, watch and walk away like they should have done last year) and for Reiko to get a bad reception. Very excited.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Weird to schedule a NZ vs NZ 'A' game during the AIs

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Weird to schedule a NZ vs NZ 'A' game during the AIs

Not sure if it was intentional but having Ireland as NZ and NZ as NZ 'A' makes this tired joke absolutely hilarious. Well done.

 

[Becca]

I agree that the shirts are pretty horrid.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I completely get why most people are saying they hate those shirts but I actually quite like them tbh

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Furlong out. Cool cool cool.

 

[Half Pint]

Six day turnaround and a couple of people missing through injury is going to be hard on NZ, but I think they'll be a bit tidier at finishing than they were last weekend (Telea excepted). Ireland will need to bring their A game* . Should be a nailbiter. Small margins - game to be decided by the bounce of the referee's whistle.

(I don't mean their NZ 'A' game..)

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

the key to a good match poster is to have the important details as small as possible

 

[IT157]

Hopefully Ireland win.

 

[OllyM97]

Ireland by 8 points. New Zealand will be much improved this week but their defence will actually get tested by a good attacking team. Individual brilliance won't get the All Blacks home on Friday. To be honest, I can see Ireland doing a number on NZ.

 

[munstermuffin]

We will need a huge scrum performance. Beirne at 6 and 2 lads at lock will bulk up our line massively but what a challenge. Our bench is not huge though so could be an issue

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ireland (possible) v New Zealand: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Finlay Bealham, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt). Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Tom O'Toole, Ryan Baird, Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray/Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley, Jamie Osborne.

I like that a lot. Thornley's rumoured team.

 

[big ginger 8]

Ireland (v New Zealand):
Player/Club/Province/Caps

15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Mack Hansen (Corinthians/Connacht)(21)
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(60)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(57)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(33)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(16)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(35)

1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(66)
2. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(33)
3. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(42)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(12)
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(64)
6. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(52)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(64)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary's College/Leinster)(43)(captain)

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(40)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(131)
18. Tom O'Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(13)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(81)
20. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(107)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(118)
22. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(6)
23. Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(2).

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Huge and deserved endorsement of Osborne, Henshaw hasn't got too many minutes this season but I can't believe we can afford to leave him out of a 23.

Prop depth beginning to show, no worries re Bealham but Tom O'Toole is gettable in the scrum.

Would like to see an improvement on what's already come this year although I don't think it's needed to win. Losing would be pretty bad for this group to be honest.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

 

[big ginger 8]

Why does it look like an ad for a mental health charity?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Why does it look like an ad for a mental health charity?

Think it's a screengrab. They obnoxiously posted the team in video format and I lazily stole this from reddit after scrolling by 48 posts that were the exact same joke repeated in slightly different formats.

 

[Saintjay]

I am so looking forward to this. Friday after work in what's been a pretty mad week for the world. 80mins of great rugby fingers crossed.

 

[munstermuffin]

Must be a first that Connach are 2nd best province represented in starting XV.