Brian O'Driscoll has been a magnificent servant of Irish rugby. But World Cups apart, there is one significant thing missing from his rugby CV; a win over the All Blacks.
The disappointment at losing to New Zealand last Saturday night at AMI Stadium was obvious; O'Driscoll looked completely deflated during the post-match interviews. Tonight's match in Hamilton is the last of a ten-month season for the Irish, and at age 33 it may be O'Driscoll's last chance to make Irish rugby history and captain his country to break a 107-year hoodoo.
The Irish gave the All Blacks the grand-daddy of scares in Christchurch last week, and were genuinely unlucky to not at least come away with a draw. The All Blacks may have taken a degree of compacency into the match, but the Irish hit them hard and early, and refused to let them settle.
We don't believe that will happen tonight at Waikato Stadium. Whilst the Irish have combined preparation with tourism in Queenstown, we're sure that the All Blacks will have been put through the wringer by Steve Hansen, and we fully expect them to give Ireland a taste of what New Zealand was on the receiving end of last week.
Both sides have injury-enforced changes, but the All Blacks have made a few others as well. Luke Romano makes his test debut, and Sam Cane makes his first test start in McCaw's #7 jersey. Romano has looked really good in Super Rugby, and we understand that down in Crusader country they call him Prickle; because he's like a little Thorn! The All Black scrum is ceratinly missing Brad Thorn's immense strength this year, and Romano might just provide the necessary grunt.
We like the make-up of the All Black inside backs. The two Aarons, Smith and Cruden have a couple of seasons at Manawatu together to draw on. And Sonny Bill Williams has played his best rugby yet this season outside Cruden. Hosea Gear and Ben Smith both have points to prove before the All Blacks dispand and go back to the business end of Super Rugby.
But we doubt that the Irish can get up again this week as they did last Saturday night. Performances like that are awfully hard to emulate, and Dan Carter's late field goal at Addington will not only have beaten the Irish on the scoreboard, but done some psychological damage as well. They almost got there last week, but a win against the All Blacks is still uncharted waters for the brave Irishmen.
8 comments:
Cruden stunned me to be honest, Messiam not an international player, Romano a S15 player, Cane looking good but should have been playing for the under 21's to give him time to grow
jabba I think Romano has had a good game but it was a tough call on Retallick who was good in the 2nd test and very good in the first test.
Cane looks outsatnding and I think we will see a loose forward trio of Cane, McCaw and Read from here on in. As you say Messem is not up to it while Thompsons value is off the bench.
Cruden, as you infer was excellent and received great service from Smith who passed beautifully and varied his game well.
Still 12 to go but a very good AB win.
60 nil.....hard to argue anything or anyone.
Ab's closed me down, and the proceeded to stuff em up the bum.
Some very nice youngsters coming on.
The word I'd use to describe tonight is ruthless. The AB's had a point to prove, and the intensity was as strong at the end of the match as it was at the start.
Full review in the morning.
the team will be very happy .. the real tests will be v those freaking Springboks and even Ozzies
Amazing how flat track bullies stand out in thrashings.
Having noted that the only thing that O'Driscoll emphasised tonight was his inability to actually lead a team.
An all time rugby average - at best.
Meantime, until NZ was polluted by the fat, useless, incompetent fuckwit damned near every recall and newcomer stood up tonight.
What a pity NZ no longer has a real All Blacks!
WTF? What was that O'Driscoll said about having a FURBURGER in Queenstown?
@ axeman - I understand (from Twitter) that he was talking about a Fergburger, which apparently is tucker at a watering hole in Queenstown. Perhaps that shows the difference between the Irish team's preparation, and that of the All Blacks, reflected in the final score last night.
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