Ireland v New Zealand Oct 14 Build up Thread

Have NZ shown enough evolution from last June to find a way to break down our defense ? I'm not sure they have. Jordie at 12 has been excellent, but 13 is still unsettled for them. Questions remain if they have sufficient ability in the forwards to disrupt Irish rucking. Lomax being out would be a massive boost for us.

The template from Scotland is a solid blueprint for them. Disciplined, smothering defense, attacking the ruck. France made them look very ordinary and I think we can do the same.

It's very hard to say what NZ team will turn up. Their last convincing win against a good side was probably SA in July. Since then it's pretty much wins against a very underperforming Australia and minnows and loses to very good SA and France teams. There's part of me that says stringing wins together is all that matters and part that sees the context of some of those wins.

Their forwards aren't what the have been in the past, but their backs are excellent. If we can beat them up front we'll limit how much ball their backs see.

Need the lineout on song, can't let them have easy platforms to launch any Joe specials at us.

From a Kiwi perspective, I wouldn't be too nervous heading into next weekend, although that may change. Ireland deserve to go through after everything they've achieved over the last World Cup cycle, and it would be nice to see Ireland or France win the whole thing.

That said, I think that if NZ keep their discipline and keep men on the pitch, they should make a good game of it. They will have many more attacking threats than Scotland did, with a lot more high balls, chip kicks and crossfield kicks. Savea and Frizell should break the gain line, and the set piece should hold its own. The NZ bench will probably have players that will bring a bit of X factor to the match.

Hopefully both teams get to field full strength teams and it's an entertaining match.

Who will be 10 & 15 for NZ?

RM & BB?

Would hope they pick Beaden over Dmac, a step down in terms of an attacking threat.

And If all 4 injury doubts are confirmed? Still think we are favourites?

Hopefully Lowe's eye injury will prove to be a non-showstopper for him. Hansen's calf injury worries me more. Travelling to Paris via Brussels on Thursday for a weekend in the fanzone ... not Stade de France but possibly the next best thing (rain forecast, but nothing we Irish dont know how to handle).

This team is different than all our previous teams and they're about to prove it. No more quarter final chokes, they are the best team in the world, they are far superior to New Zealand and they will show by how much next weekend. Prediction later in the week but I'm thinking 10+ points right now.

Surely will be but MacKenzie has been excellent albeit against weak opposition.

To be honest, and obviously I hope I'm wrong, but I think NZ will beat us. This is probably the result of the mental scars of watching WC Q/Fs since 1991.

NZ will be incredibly motivated, they have a coach who has a good insight into our players (although our game is unrecognisable to the Schmidt era) and we have a few possible injuries.

Lowe and Hansen feel crucial.

By the same token, we have a squad of players who will have good insight into how that coach might set his team up to beat us. They have also shown that they can adapt to teams on the fly.

Agreed on the injuries to Lowe and Hansen, but elsewhere I just don't see where NZ can claim a significant superiority over the Irish option. 9 and 14 perhaps. Maybe Frizell, if he gets into a rhythmn on D.

But broadly speaking, we have a superior front row, and parity at the very least in the second row, backrow and 10-15 axis. I'd argue that our midfield is superior, and if one of Lowe or Hansen play, they are an improvement on Telea (in terms of all-around play). I'd even be confident enough if JOB was going up against Telea in the air.

They edge it in attack, we have a much superior defense. We'll have home-court advantage. They'll be motivated but easily spooked. We will be confident and calm under pressure.

There are a lot of reasons to feel positive.