[quote=“Horsebox, post: 865281, member: 1537”]We won over 50% of the body language battle. Gordon D’Arcy.
FOAD.[/quote]
You need to set the context of the conversation here @Horsebox
Was he body language measuring tool calibrated properly?
Kiwi’s Celebrate Match Success unaware they have narrowly lost the crucial body language battle
[quote=“Kinvara’s Passion, post: 865300, member: 686”]You need to set the context of the conversation here @Horsebox
Was he body language measuring tool calibrated properly?[/quote]
The context was perennial underachievers trying to explain away yet another defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.
Horsebox, refresh my memory, when was the last defeat snatched from the jaws of victory?
Gerry Thornley in today’s Irish Times states “So, one kick from the biggest win in Irish rugby history, and then just two or three rucks away from immortality. Instead, it probably goes down as Ireland’s most heartbreaking defeat, certainly right up there with Michael Lynagh’s match-winning try at the death in the 1991 World Cup quarter-final on the same ground.”
it was a friendly with no trophy or points at stake - that sums up what is wrong in rugby
he then states
"This was closer than any of the previous 27 attempts, including the draw, but after it you really do wonder if Ireland can ever beat these All Blacks."
:rolleyes:
Probably the 2nd test against New Zealand in the summer? I’m just annoyed today tallback. They have to be up there as the most inconsistent teams in sport. Absolutely abject last week but can put in a performance like the first half yesterday. They get an incredibly easy ride from the Irish media when compared to the say the soccer team. Sexton touted as one of the best outhalves in the world but can’t nail a pretty straightforward kick when the pressure was on to seal victory. The media will say that they were more up for it against NZ-Ireland play about 10 matches a year with the centrally contracted players playing about 25-30 a year including club games. They are the most protected players in the game so they should be up for every match.
Three pretty accurate statements.
Scotland 2013 - anyone remember Ronan O’Gara’s hilarious kick pass to the opposition?
They were chasing victory in that game though - they didn’t hand up last gasp points?
Whilst I have no gra for the Irish rugby team in general I was sickened for them yesterday, particularly BOD.
The All Blacks are a contempible lot who have refs in their pockets, dirt in their genetic make up and more foreigners playing for them than Jack Charlton’s Eire had in thier pomp.
It would have been great to hear about how Ireland were now serious players in world Rugby for the next few months until they came crashing down to earth in the six nations. Actually the way this country works sometimes a narrow defeat is treated like a win so we’ll probably hear that anyway.
very true…as @caoimhaoin knows all to well, you can’t question anything O Driscoll does…he’s the best player we’ve ever produced but surely he is not above criticism …and where the fuck was he off to for the first NZ try??..
[quote=“Special Olympiakos, post: 865326, member: 366”]Whilst I have no gra for the Irish rugby team in general I was sickened for them yesterday, particularly BOD.
The All Blacks are a contempible lot who have refs in their pockets, dirt in their genetic make up and more foreigners playing for them than Jack Charlton’s Eire had in thier pomp.
It would have been great to hear about how Ireland were now serious players in world Rugby for the next few months until they came crashing down to earth in the six nations. Actually the way this country works sometimes a narrow defeat is treated like a win so we’ll probably hear that anyway.[/quote]
I don’t think NZ had anyone born outside NZ playing for them yesterday. They generally have fewer players born overseas than European nations and Australia, and this is particularly true if you exclude players who went to school in NZ. There is a myth generated by inferior teams that they somehow benefit from a conveyor belt of rugby migrants.
Its not really a myth though, maybe yesterdays team had homegorown players but NZ have been picking pacific Islanders for as long as I can remember, some of them capped for their home nations even.
Aaron Cruden called the conversion yesterday ‘the biggest kick of his life’ 
It is an exaggerated problem. There was a big controversy about 10 years ago when Sivivatu and Rokocoko moved to the All Blacks. But both went to school in New Zeland. Rokocoko moved to New Zeland when he was 5 and was always held up as an example of a poached player.
I’ve posted about this many times on here in the past. But the percentage of Pacific islanders who play rugby in NZ is roughly in keeping with the percentage of Pacific islanders in the general population.
The IRB needed to address players playing for more than one country a long time ago. But the main beneficiaries of that in recent times have been the 6 Nations teams.
I’ve no problem with NZ picking lads from foreign countries in line with their own demograpgical breakdown within their own country. My problem is taking a player away from Samoa or Tonga such as the Bachop brothers or Umaga etc.
The players England or Ireland poach aren’t plain good enough to represent their homeland in many cases. NZ actually hurt Rugby by taking the best players from a developing Rugby nation.
The schools argument is boll1x imo. Ryan Giggs played for England schoolboys but not the national team because he is 100% Welsh.
[quote=“Special Olympiakos, post: 865407, member: 366”]I’ve no problem with NZ picking lads from foreign countries in line with their own demograpgical breakdown within their own country. My problem is taking a player away from Samoa or Tonga such as the Bachop brothers or Umaga etc.
The players England or Ireland poach aren’t plain good enough to represent their homeland in many cases. NZ actually hurt Rugby by taking the best players from a developing Rugby nation.
The schools argument is boll1x imo. Ryan Giggs played for England schoolboys but not the national team because he is 100% Welsh.[/quote]
But Umaga was born and raised in New Zealand. He has Samoan roots but it’s a ridiculous stretch to say he was poached by NZ. Why wouldn’t be play for the country where he was born, raised, schooled and had played all his rugby?
The Bachops were also born in New Zealand. The fact that Steve switched to Samoa to play representative rugby is an example of players transferring from NZ to the islands, not the other way around.
@Rocko, could you explain why that NZ try wasn’t allowed yesterday for being ‘held up’? Was it not his own arm underneath the balls?
Also, could you please answer my previous questions on groundings and feet in touch at your earliest convenience?
The ball has to touch the ground.
Did I hear “Downward pressure” being touted again yesterday by one of the commentators somewhere?
You couldn’t make it up.