In fairness, Dublin hurlers are well able to mind themselves. Peadar Carton decapitated one of their players over there in 2008.
This New Zealand team has been on the go for a while. Lot of that personnel there since the 2011 World Cup and before. I make it 11 of their starting 15 on Saturday born in 1988 and earlier.
Big onus on the New Zealand pack. Four of the starting front five featured for Canterbury and were beaten up by the Lions. In the back row you have Jerome Kaino pushing 34 and Kieran Read pushing 32 coming back after a long injury lay off.
They had a turkey shoot against Samoa last week but this is their first real international in seven months. This Lions side is battle hardened and very much in game mode.
I’m willing to go with Gatty on this one. He’s made big calls about centres before in Loins test matches and they worked out well.
He knows what he likes in an inside centre - high speed, high impact, go forward ball, or as Jim Sherwin would have put it, crash ball. Te’o provides that. Kevin Maggs must be fuming he wasn’t born 16 years later than he was.
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We all saw how being on the go for a while ended up for Na Piarsaigh in the Limerick hurling championship last year.
You have a good eye for rugby despite your protestations of not liking it. How are you calling it for Saturday?
I koved them. Straight talking, hard grafters, loyal, able to talk about their feelings and important shit. Very in touch with their emotional side. Irish langers could learn alot from them in that respect.
They are as tight as fuck though, whatever thats about
Thanks, pal. I think the set piece will be very important.
I’ll take that as a tentative nod to the British Lions.
Sir Ian McGeechan sat down with Joe Molloy for an extensive interview broadcast the other night, in association with a new range of 100% natural sparkling drinks, CocoFuzion 100.
I’ve only listened to the introduction so far and won’t get around to listening to the full interview tonight as my concentration span is not at its best at this hour, but I’ll be devoting some quality time to absorbing the great man’s thoughts thoroughly tomorrow.
I’m also planning to get a 99 ice cream before Saturday’s first test to hype myself up in anticipation.
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POM be fine they don’t need another ball carrier. He is there to spoil and little else
Never even started for England. Doubt he would start for Ireland. Or Wales for that matter. He is a decent carrier but he can hardly pass the ball. Saw him loads for Leinster and the one thing he does have in his favour is he is as game as a pebble and a nasty enough cunt. Would think he is likely to be badly exposed
Surely there to shut down SBW too? He’s played well on tour so far and certainly better than Henshaw.
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Yeah he’s played well in a limited role. Henshaw has been ok. He also has two big performances against NZ in his back pocket.
He is definitely just picked to shut down SBW. But he will be defending Barret as well and I’m not sure he has half enough experience at that level to be confident he is good enough.
May well turn out to be an inspired selection but its a risky one. Backline looks v poor outside 10 in compariaon with opposition
I’m happy with the selection…one exception…like many I’m really surprised that Itoje doesn’t start. That Saracens combo of George, Kruis and Itoje has been a well oiled machine to date. I’m a big fan of AWJ’s but I don’t think he has got going so far.
Also interesting that POM still skippers even with AWJ starting.
Delighted for O’Mahony and all the Irish guys.
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I’d be happier with Itoje starting. If their tight five are dominant early on, we are definitely toast. Otherwise, I like the Daly and Te’o picks. Let’s hope Daly wakes up at last.
With the benefit of hindsight, does anyone think Mike Brown should have made the trip? I’m not a fan but nobody has really sparkled back there.
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This is a good point. No way teo gets picked at 13 for Leinster or Ireland ahead of ringrose. Can afford one non passer in centre (at a push) but as you said neither of them known for distribution. I like jon Davies though he is effective.
Pace, hands and decision making are what makes the AB’s great. Schmidt over three games, has been as close as any team to them and it’s the gameplan that works against them.
We’ll see
The other side of that coin is POM. Where would he be in leinster
Wtf? A rugby league player from Auckland is the best centre the Brits have
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