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[November Tests 2016 EOYT] Ireland vs. New Zealand (05/11/2016)

Larksea said:
Ok so at this point its fair to say that Ireland are favorites in this test. I look forward to supporting the underdog for once :)
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TRF_Olyy said:
How have you come to that conclusion?
Bookies have NZ winning by 23
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Ha was just thinking the same thing. Telling myself no need to bite, the game is soon enough. Anything can happen on the day and Ireland are a decent enough outfit, but really, can't see it happening. Our depth is to strong and the style we're playing will be to much for the Irish to keep up with. We can have 35% Possesion & Territory and still win 4 tries to 1 or something similar.
 
Oh dear, I the the ringing chimes of defeat and there is nothing to bring on a surprise defeat like the resounding echoes of over confident fans and the understanding that the boys are tired from a long season of rock hard record breaking rugby.
Around this time last year I was piling into the Millennium stadium to watch the AB's take on France and we were surrounded by heaps of French supporters all dressed up with cockerels etc and they were cock-a-hoop (pardon the pun) about their chances given that the AB's had been considered (by the press) to be a little lack lustre in the group games... and the history of RWC results between the two teams. They were fired up and chanting out Allez Les Blues -Allez Les Blues
The AB contingent were quietly confident but still nervous as we thought about the debacle of the 99 semi final at Twickenham (I tried to get a ticket for that and missed out and two of my mates went - they both walked out afterwards without saying a word to each other, went their separate ways straight home to bed and didn't talk to anyone for a week) and the disaster in the quarter final in 2007, oh yes, we remember the Great pain and the Great Grudges from the past...
So there we were as the game started unfolding and the French fans began so loudly in roaring support for their team, by halfway through the second half all you could hear was the Irish fans singing 'Fields of Athenry'
Oh and at the end a loud Kiwi fella (can't imagine who???) singing "Allez Les Blues Ah No... 62 ;-)
Moral of the story is, don't do the overconfidence thing, it's never going to help matters and will only compound issues when the defeat eventually becomes a reality.
Surf the wave as long as you can because it will peter out.
 
Larksea said:
Ok so at this point its fair to say that Ireland are favorites in this test. I look forward to supporting the underdog for once :)
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I don't think they are favorites, from what I understand Ireland are also missing a couple of key forwards, I think they could be favorites at home though.
 
The Jones Boy said:
Oh dear, I the the ringing chimes of defeat and there is nothing to bring on a surprise defeat like the resounding echoes of over confident fans and the understanding that the boys are tired from a long season of rock hard record breaking rugby.
Around this time last year I was piling into the Millennium stadium to watch the AB's take on France and we were surrounded by heaps of French supporters all dressed up with cockerels etc and they were cock-a-hoop (pardon the pun) about their chances given that the AB's had been considered (by the press) to be a little lack lustre in the group games... and the history of RWC results between the two teams. They were fired up and chanting out Allez Les Blues -Allez Les Blues
The AB contingent were quietly confident but still nervous as we thought about the debacle of the 99 semi final at Twickenham (I tried to get a ticket for that and missed out and two of my mates went - they both walked out afterwards without saying a word to each other, went their separate ways straight home to bed and didn't talk to anyone for a week) and the disaster in the quarter final in 2007, oh yes, we remember the Great pain and the Great Grudges from the past...
So there we were as the game started unfolding and the French fans began so loudly in roaring support for their team, by halfway through the second half all you could hear was the Irish fans singing 'Fields of Athenry'
Oh and at the end a loud Kiwi fella (can't imagine who???) singing "Allez Les Blues Ah No... 62 ;-)
Moral of the story is, don't do the overconfidence thing, it's never going to help matters and will only compound issues when the defeat eventually becomes a reality.
Surf the wave as long as you can because it will peter out.
Click to expand...

The French fans were not overconfident. They were just supporting their team no more no less. We went into that 1/4 final game on the back of 4 years of playing **** poor rugby and nothing to show for.
The vast majority of fans were expecting les Bleus to be slaughtered. We were predictably true to our form of the PSA reign all the way to the last game. Not one game stands out from that period.

That was last year. Now les Bleus are a subject of mild derision. And the union makes a perfect scapegoat. The fans that were taken for a ride for 4 yrs have seen the light and are vaccinated now. The union will have to resort to wooing more corporate heads and schools into Stade de France this month and next season. That's the 'fan base' they're going to be left with.

It's great to see the Irish being so confident before the game against this NZ team. I couldn't say what it's based on TBH. But why not.
 
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nzlizard said:
I don't think they are favorites, from what I understand Ireland are also missing a couple of key forwards, I think they could be favorites at home though.
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Ah to be fair I would argue only Henderson is injured. O'Brien and O'Mahony are back playing but deemed not ready for the All Blacks. Must be said it's about as close to a fully fit squad as we've had in the past two years.
No illusions though. We have a 20 point handicap at least on this, but I'm still not overly pessimistic about this game. Anything could happen.
 
The Jones Boy said:
Oh dear, I the the ringing chimes of defeat and there is nothing to bring on a surprise defeat like the resounding echoes of over confident fans and the understanding that the boys are tired from a long season of rock hard record breaking rugby.
Around this time last year I was piling into the Millennium stadium to watch the AB's take on France and we were surrounded by heaps of French supporters all dressed up with cockerels etc and they were cock-a-hoop (pardon the pun) about their chances given that the AB's had been considered (by the press) to be a little lack lustre in the group games... and the history of RWC results between the two teams. They were fired up and chanting out Allez Les Blues -Allez Les Blues
The AB contingent were quietly confident but still nervous as we thought about the debacle of the 99 semi final at Twickenham (I tried to get a ticket for that and missed out and two of my mates went - they both walked out afterwards without saying a word to each other, went their separate ways straight home to bed and didn't talk to anyone for a week) and the disaster in the quarter final in 2007, oh yes, we remember the Great pain and the Great Grudges from the past...
So there we were as the game started unfolding and the French fans began so loudly in roaring support for their team, by halfway through the second half all you could hear was the Irish fans singing 'Fields of Athenry'
Oh and at the end a loud Kiwi fella (can't imagine who???) singing "Allez Les Blues Ah No... 62 ;-)
Moral of the story is, don't do the overconfidence thing, it's never going to help matters and will only compound issues when the defeat eventually becomes a reality.
Surf the wave as long as you can because it will peter out.
Click to expand...

Confidence is not a word one associates with your average French rugby fan - misplaced optimism maybe (and that includes me!) and approaching the November tests and the 6N, things ain't going to change - except for my optimism!
 
Can't believe so many people misinterpreted Larksea's post.

And whoever said France was overconfident before their game against NZ is delusional.
 
JJFlash said:
Confidence is not a word one associates with your average French rugby fan - misplaced optimism maybe (and that includes me!) and approaching the November tests and the 6N, things ain't going to change - except for my optimism!
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Misplaced optimism, I like it. That with about three spoonfuls of sarcasm is what I'm drinking this week!

Anyway, another Ireland won dream was had last night, although I was playing inside centre, the game was in the back garden of my old house and I was serving Guinness to fans and match officials at half time. It might not be the best premonition.
 
The Alpha Bro said:
.
Anyway, another Ireland won dream was had last night, although I was playing inside centre, the game was in the back garden of my old house and I was serving Guinness to fans and match officials at half time. It might not be the best premonition.
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Based on that, I've a mind to put a tenner on Ireland!! Oh, and mine's a pint :drinks:
 
Cruz_del_Sur said:
Can't believe so many people misinterpreted Larksea's post.

And whoever said France was overconfident before their game against NZ is delusional.
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Were you there?
No.
Shut your mouth.
On the way to the game, beforehand in the pubs and on the streets approaching the venue milling about at the food and drink stalls, on the concourse inside the stands and in the crowd itself the French were very vocal about their chances and how they were looking forward to recreating the same scene from 8 years earlier in the same venue at the same fixture in the knock out stages. The planets had aligned and there was nothing to lose as PSA was on the way out anyway. The Gallic spirit would rise and shine once more at the appointed hour.
It was great stuff and it was heartfelt.
Talking out of your backside a year later, for a fixture you never attended is 'delusional'.
Pull your head in.
We (the Kiwi's) were 'quietly confident' but only quietly as the media was full of the historical losses at twickenham in 99 and in 2007, then they were bombarding us with how we were lack lustre in the group games, not shining and potentially vulnerable. This was partially because Hansen was trying to fly under the radar.
For the record, the French fans were superb in their support for their team, in their overall conduct and their unilateral condemnation of PSA. But they were extremely confident of their chances on the day as they had a 'nothing to lose' approach.
If you weren't there you wouldn't have experienced it.

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The Alpha Bro said:
Anyway, another Ireland won dream was had last night, although I was playing inside centre, the game was in the back garden of my old house and I was serving Guinness to fans and match officials at half time. It might not be the best premonition.
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No, they are the best premonitions. I still have one occasionally that I am scoring the winning try in the 95 final before being stretchered off with food poisoning...
The Irish should be optimistic, they will have good support in Chicago and they are ready for the temperature. They have a strong team and an excellent coach. Ireland are vastly better than their record against the AB's would predict.
 
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. But they were extremely confident of their chances on the day as they had a 'nothing to lose' approach..[/QUOTE said:
Having a "nothing to lose approach" is all well and good and appropriate for that partticular match but doesn't go hand in hand with being extremely confident.
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You're dead right it has nothing to do with being extremely confident.
It has everything to do with the dangers of being 'over confident'.
 
Nothing wrong with the Irish being confident, they're a good team and made some history this year. It's good to see them upbeat about their side and supporting them positively. I really can't wait for kick off. I have a nice box of beers sitting in the fridge and some mates coming over.

I heard the Irish have only had just under one week in the camp together, since they last played in SA. Do you think that's enough preparation? Especially since the All Blacks have been together for a while now.
 
They'd have had this week, most of last week and a two day camp about four weeks ago. I don't think we can be sufficiently prepared to beat this NZ team because if you guys play to 95% of your ability you win and anything less needs our lads to be firing on all cylinders for a result. It can only be a smash and grab victory.

Despite all logic and reason saying otherwise I have a strong feeling we'll nick this, it'll make the inevitable harder to swallow!
 

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