The Roar’s Wallabies Vs Ireland live blog
Roar Pro
By The Roar, 15 Nov 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- ireland brian o'driscoll, Rugby Union, wallabies
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Australia's Berrick Barnes tackles Brian O'Driscoll of Ireland during their rugby union test match in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, June 14, 2008. AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill
It promises to be one of the matches of the season, so join The Roar’s live blog on Monday morning at 2am as we watch Australia’s grand slam hopefuls, the Wallabies, take on a tough Ireland side hungry for a Southern Hemisphere scalp.
Unfortunately for the Wallabies, leading Ireland to their first Six Nations crown in more than half a century hasn’t quenched Brian O’Driscoll’s appetite for major rugby spoils.
In what’s set to be a cracking match, Roar columnist David Pocock takes over from George Smith on the side of the scrum; and a young backline duels with a speedy set of Irish outside backs.
Will the faltering form of the Wallabies in 2009 be maintained?
Watch the match on TV and leave comments and interact with other Roar readers in real time here from Monday at 2am onwards.
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CraigB said | November 14th 2009 @ 7:32am | Report comment
The game isn’t on until Monday morning
Zac Zavos said | November 14th 2009 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
We got it wrong – thanks for the heads up CraigB!
Zac
The Roar
pothale said | November 14th 2009 @ 7:34am | Report comment
Did I miss something? Has Australia moved through a couple of time zones that I wasn’t aware of?
Having just watched the 3rd placed 6 Nations team, France, polish off the number one SH side, Africa de Sud, I thought we’d get a chance to recover our breath. I wasn’t planning to go to Croke Park for another 38 hours to attend the Ireland v Australia match. Has it been brought forward?
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 7:37am | Report comment
Alright Pothale? Watching that game cost me a few squidolas. France ruined SA physically. It seems you can’t just win with a big boot and a strong pack. Let’s hope Ireland are paying attention.
Lee said | November 14th 2009 @ 7:49am | Report comment
Wow useless Boks, I always thought the game would go either way but it’s the way the Boks lost, Kanko couldn’t hang onto the ball in contact, Jacobs lost it everytime he took it up…shocking performance.
Well played France, in the Boks – NZ games, NZ’s mistakes were put down to Boks pressure, so only fair to put the Boks mistakes down to French pressure. Well played, I am now more worried about Ireland.
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 7:54am | Report comment
To be fair France made a lot of errors too, forced and unforced. All of a sudden the SA backline that looked erratic with JdV is now looking totally blunt without him. The scrum is poor, the pack not good enough to simply bash opposition and the backline is mediocre bar a pair of dangerous wings. Without Brussow SA would have really been in huge trouble.
Lee said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:10am | Report comment
I think thats a bit rough KO, the pack isn’t that bad, they were just out-muscled by a determined French side(it was obvious from the first few french tackles that we were in trouble). I think the key was that Fourie Du Preez miss-fired tonight, his kicks wern’t as pinpoint as normal(very hard in that wind), and Kirchner’s boot is nowhere near the class of F. Steyns.
Interesting to see how they go against Italy….
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:16am | Report comment
Personally I don’t think the SA pack is strong enough to mount a sustained glory challenge without a good kicking fullback like Steyn or previously Montgomery. The scrummage is terrible and the normally excellent lineout came undone tonight. The current SA pack has been around for years and it was never good enough to win games on its own prior to the 07 WC, and it isn’t now. Diversity has always been needed, but a host of good kickers has always given the SA 8 space to breathe. Now things are different and the coaching panel needs to come up with something different. The French kicking was just as poor as what we saw from SA. This French team is no vintage side, let’s not forget that either. If SA isn’t to waste what has been a wonderful season we have to see something different from the backs and the forwards.
Lee said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:19am | Report comment
I will agree with you there, the whole team seemed out of sorts, I think the lineout going awry showed that. I don’t buy into the whole “it’s been a long season and it’s hard to get motivated” talke, they are representing their country – as an aside, what the hell was with the ‘singing’ of the SA anthem.
Nail on the head as far as a good kicking fullback, which is why I think Terblanche should have come on tour but it seems as though he is too old. I wouldn’t be surprised to see PDV call Steyn or De Villiers back into the team.
Parisien said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:41am | Report comment
The French aren’t a vintage side yet, but hell, they’re not bad!
pothale said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:12am | Report comment
I’m very OK, KO. Backed France to win tonight along with Wales and Ireland A.
Springboks losing two on the bounce to NH opposition – who’d have thought that the NH plodders could manage to do what the exciting and expansive SH teams couldn’t manage all season., eh?
Oh dear – must go and get the trowel out of the garden shed – this isn’t going on thick enough.
Lee said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:16am | Report comment
You forget the Boks are apparently boring as hell pothale, not a ‘real’ SH teamlike NZ and Aus.
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:17am | Report comment
I think you mean not a ‘real’ SH team like NZ. Australia is the poor relation (Ducks for cover.).
–
I lost my bloody handicap to those Welsh suckers. When will those buffoons learn how to play Pacific opposition?
pothale said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:24am | Report comment
Great match in Belfast KO. Lots of tries and passing for both teams.
Cave got a brace – I suspect he’ll get the step up sooner than McFadden.
matt0931 said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:46am | Report comment
Yep, a poor relation who still whooped that English poor excuse of a rugby team last week.
SA have been losing because they are becoming predictable. They play a solid game but oppositions now know what they are going to get from the Springboks (except for Perth when they surprised even themselves).
Parisien said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:39am | Report comment
Knives- Did you really back SA to beat France? and England to beat Australia, and Australia to win the Tri-Nations as well… ouch that must hurt. who have you got the money on for Sunday? I’ll back the others.
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:47am | Report comment
No, Parisien. I backed France to beat SA by 5+ on my fantasy league (Superguru – Rucku league), but I didn’t bet on the outcome at the bookies. I didn’t back England to beat Australia last week – I didn’t gamble last week. I backed Australia at the bookies to win the 3N due to their home game rounds. On Sunday I’m backing Ireland by +5.
Parisien said | November 14th 2009 @ 10:23am | Report comment
that sounds realistic, but I’ll go for the Wallabies. Just hope its a good game with tries by both sides.
pothale said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:50am | Report comment
Parisien – there is only team to back on Sunday.
I’ll give you a hint – it has an A and an I in it.
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:53am | Report comment
I r e l A n d
A u s t r a I l A
That is Higgs boson clever.
pothale said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:59am | Report comment
Has Egypt given you a touch of the sun, young fella?
What is Higgs boson, when it’s at home?
pothale said | November 14th 2009 @ 10:09am | Report comment
It’s ok. I looked it up, you sarcastic person you.
johnno42 said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:17am | Report comment
always thought that the boks must have haa a bad day in brisbane (TN) but perhaps they are a hot/cold side… or worse, they could have blown their bolt (shot the load, whatever… who knows)is that two on the trot??
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:23am | Report comment
‘I will agree with you there, the whole team seemed out of sorts, I think the lineout going awry showed that. I don’t buy into the whole “it’s been a long season and it’s hard to get motivated” talke, they are representing their country – as an aside, what the hell was with the ’singing’ of the SA anthem.
Nail on the head as far as a good kicking fullback, which is why I think Terblanche should have come on tour but it seems as though he is too old. I wouldn’t be surprised to see PDV call Steyn or De Villiers back into the team.’
Lol. Now that you mention it the SA anthem was awful. I’m not sure who was singing it but it was not awe inspiring. It seemed like the French had flown in a drunk Eddie Grant.
Terblance must be beyond it now? As an objective observer I would have picked Ludik prior to his injury. I just do not rate Kirchner.
Lee said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:30am | Report comment
I was thinking that Terblanche could come along and offer a sort of mentor role to Kirchner(as there isn’t a fullback at t Bulls to do that). It would do Kirchner a world of good to have an old head around to offer advice…seen as I am sure Kirchner is now going to be the starting FB- unless Jantjes comes back.
You could see on the Boks faces that some of them were trying not to laugh during the anthem – perhaps a great French ploy akin to them darkening their jerseys for the WC 2007 to make the ABs play in grey, thereby reducing the aura of the ABs…
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:34am | Report comment
‘I was thinking that Terblanche could come along and offer a sort of mentor role to Kirchner(as there isn’t a fullback at t Bulls to do that). It would do Kirchner a world of good to have an old head around to offer advice…seen as I am sure Kirchner is now going to be the starting FB- unless Jantjes comes back.’
That’s fair enough. It’s just one of those things that there’s no experienced 15s in SA rugby at the moment. Maybe Pienaar will get a shot at the job next week?
‘You could see on the Boks faces that some of them were trying not to laugh during the anthem – perhaps a great French ploy akin to them darkening their jerseys for the WC 2007 to make the ABs play in grey, thereby reducing the aura of the ABs…’
I did notice that. At least it’ll provide a funny YouTube moment in years to come.
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:32am | Report comment
‘Great match in Belfast KO. Lots of tries and passing for both teams.
Cave got a brace – I suspect he’ll get the step up sooner than McFadden.’
And usurp Bowe, Ireland’s next great 13?
Btw, I saw on another post that you’re hitting London soon. What’s the deal? You can catch me at [email removed] if you’re about (My brother chose the account for me. No getting caught at work thank you, sir.). I’m in Egypt for the next 10 days or so.
pothale said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:56am | Report comment
Yep – heading that way next Friday possibly. Might grab an overnight and catch a match the following day before heading back. If not, it’ll be during the following week. Sounds like you won’t be around though.
Will mail you.
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:01am | Report comment
Safe. (That’s what the kids say.)
pothale said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:21am | Report comment
eh?
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:34am | Report comment
That means “Cool, I’ll check my mail, breadbin.”
pothale said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:46am | Report comment
eh…. I knew that…..obviously.
I’ll put in secret words into the subject line so you know it’s me. It’ll say “Pothale calling”.
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 8:54am | Report comment
‘Yep, a poor relation who still whooped that English poor excuse of a rugby team last week.
SA have been losing because they are becoming predictable. They play a solid game but oppositions now know what they are going to get from the Springboks (except for Perth when they surprised even themselves).’
Lol. There’s always one.
matt0931 said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:19am | Report comment
Well there is when you look in the mirror KO!
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Im a one and only.
Parisien said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:25am | Report comment
Cocorico! If SA looked out of sorts its because the French dominated and bullied them all game. I tucked into a dozen snails with a bottle of Minervois just as the anthems started, and yes, those anthems said it all and were an omen alright…
Good to see the SA boys getting outsung, outmuscled, outscrummed and outplayed by the French who were the only ones proposing anything. They should have won by a lot more but butchered a couple of opportunities.
Traille after his first shocking kick had a good match at fullback, David and Mermoz stepped up in the centres, Trinh Duc confirmed he’s got what it takes, Picamoles is a monster, Millo-Chluski is Frankenstein’s son (read Pelous), and Barcella monstered the beast.
Enjoyable game and there’s more to come.
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:32am | Report comment
David looked powerful and incisive but I still have massive reservations over Trinh-Duc. Traille wasn’ a giant success either. I feel that had Lievremont trusted his side to attack more and selected Medard at 15 that France would have won by more. They were comprehensively superior (despite making a litany of errors) and the biggest symbolism must be the way that Picamoles bashed Burger time and time again (or when Mtawarira was subbed just after half-time, perhaps).
SA and France are the same sides, but France has a better scrum and a more unpredictable back line (despite some horribly predictable early lateral movement). Luck for SA that they had Brussow.
An enjoyable game.
P.S. Millo-Chluski had a good game but is no Pelous. Pelous never got the credit he deserved. He is one of my all time favourites.
Parisien said | November 14th 2009 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Well Traille kicked a couple of huge touch finders but otherwise was never really tested to be fair. Didn’t do anything wrong once he had settled. His big boot is valuable against a team like SA.
Can’t agree that SA and France are the same sides! The French backs and team as a whole are not only less predictable, but more creative, show greater flair, take bigger risks individually and collectively. They were really looking to open up the defence, even if clumsily at times, but the SA backs seemed predictable and clueless. But there are similarities in the forwards alright. The French really imposed their game tonight. The French would rather lose playing “du beau rugby”, trying their hand and having a go, than win ugly. You could tell the way they sang the Marseillaise they were up for it tonight.
Medard: apparently he is getting over the flu and thats why he was on the bench, wasn’t up to a whole game. Strategically, I think they also wanted to take on SA anyway, match them, gain parity, and bring on the faster more dynamic bench players as SA tired. (eg Szarzewski , Chabal, Medard, Bonnaire). If so, Iit worked!
MC is no Pelous – agree. I really just meant Pelous was a Frankenstein look-alike, and MC is another very big monster type with lots of physical presence and did some great work in the scrums, rucks, in tight, and even the rolling mauls. A big hard working unit. Nallet was very good too, again. Picamoles is proving to be an even bigger hitman than Dusautoir, and thats saying something. NZ will be another big game. Will the All Blacks get revenge or suffer another defeat?
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 10:25pm | Report comment
Traille wasn’t tested, but he does this thing with his face where you can see he’s getting a little bit flustered and starts to panic. He dropped one ball and put on the look and I thought it was going to be a long afternoon, but then SA hardly tested him. I understand that he was selected to play a Frans Steyn boot but he never had the opportunity to. Personally I don’t think he is trustworthy at 15 and should be at 12, but with the form of Mermoz that is going to be a tough call. For me Medard has to play 15.
I say that SA and France are the same sides simply because it’s as if France try to copy the SH style of rugby: big pack, midfield crash ball and big boot. They tried to play the way SA do yesterday, and to a point it worked but only because the France pack was so, so physical. My great frustration is that despite some shoddy play the France backs could be so damaging (the SA backs could also be much better) but they’re not there yet. As a fan I could tell you what type of game plan Lievremont favours. There isn’t a great variety in the French play, just as there isn’t with the SA brand, and as we saw with the England 6N game France are liable to be beaten just the way that they beat SA, if you see what I mean. France won with a simple game plan last night, which relies on forward dominance. Against Ireland and England last season they didn’t have that forward dominance and so had no Plan B. Against Wales and NZ they won the forward battle and won those matches. It’s not a criticism, just an observation.
The French bench was excellent. Chabal absolutely ruined Morne Steyn and Bonnaire, as usual, was excellent in the air. Marconnet (I am a huge fan of Marconnet) added his considerable scrummaging prowess and it was game over. Van der Linde was boring in at every scrum. The SA scrum just could not cope.
I recall the first time I saw Picamoles and he reminded me of Dean Richards. He is a true Obelix character and what I would term a proper number 8. Brussow stole a lot of ball which makes me wonder how much France could have won by had Ouedraogo played?
I quite like the new kit, too.
Parisien said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:05pm | Report comment
Sorry about the cock crowing! – I’d just got home and was still on a high…
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:44am | Report comment
‘The French aren’t a vintage side yet, but hell, they’re not bad!’
True. But they could be a lot better. What France did to SA England did to them last season. I think they have the same vulnerbailities they did when Lievremont took over. I certainly do not doubt the skill and potential of the tean, however, I just think they haven’t developed their style/brand.
Parisien said | November 14th 2009 @ 10:35am | Report comment
No, but they’re getting closer, the last 6N was better than the one before, ML is doing less chopping and changing, and the group is consolidating. And they’ve got some big scalps now: beating NZ at home, and now the world champs. They can beat anyone, are devloping the self belief, and I think the next 6N they’ll do very well…
The forwards are settled and with depth behind, while 10, 12, 13 still unsure; I’d love to see Ellisalde at 10, Mermoz doing ok at 12 but time will tell, David at 13, same thing, with Bastereaud to back up, all looks promising and they are all pretty young too.
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 9:49am | Report comment
‘eh…. I knew that…..obviously.
I’ll put in secret words into the subject line so you know it’s me. It’ll say “Pothale calling”.’
Let’s go with ‘Red Lemonade’. That works for me. I believe Jack Nicholson used the same code name in ‘A Few Good Men’. Or maybe it was ‘Mikado’?!
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 10:02am | Report comment
‘Has Egypt given you a touch of the sun, young fella?
What is Higgs boson, when it’s at home?’
It’s around the mid 20s, I think?! Red then brown. The English way.
You know what Higgs boson is you UCD-educated joker. My uncle’s father went to UCD. You’re not fooling this fellow.
pothale said | November 14th 2009 @ 11:07am | Report comment
UCD? In Dublin?
Knives Out said | November 14th 2009 @ 10:26pm | Report comment
The same. Is that not where you went? I’m not prying but I recall you mentioned that Kevin McLaughlin (?) went to your alma mater.
pothale said | November 15th 2009 @ 1:32am | Report comment
Oh I see.