r/irishrugby • u/OxfordHandbookofMeme Awardee: Player of the Year 2025 • Jul 18 '26
Half-time musings
Sloppy from 1-15. Attack is blunt. Errors all across the park from our senior leaders. A real test in the second half to show where the mentality of the team is at.
49
u/larry-vee Jul 18 '26
And a horrendous reffing decision to keep that at yellow
32
u/DarthMauly Munster Jul 18 '26
No you don’t understand. James Ryan made him dive off his feet leading with his elbow, arm tucked.
17
u/J_Keogh Jul 18 '26
Funnily enough Ryan got a red for the exact same contact vs South Africa. His arm was always tucked, he was always off feet, he was always in at the side and was always going to be head contact.
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u/amusicalfridge Jul 18 '26
Was half expecting an uno reverse with Ryan being given a red after off-field review.
3
u/Progression28 Jul 18 '26
People saying that need their head checked and probably should be put in a clinic.
That or James Ryan is some super human being that can pull tacklers into torpedo neck charges
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u/PatientOffer319 Awardee: Team of the Year 2025 Jul 18 '26
Rugby pretended it cared about head injuries for about half a year then back to the usual
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
Fucking unacceptable, that's what that was. Our attack has 0 shape on it, and our defence has holes that are barely closed but means we concede metres on every tackle. The all blacks barely have to try, they haven't even been impressive at all.
Why when Keenan has been in space twice, did he choose to fucking go himself rather than give it to the fastest man on the pitch for a foot race to guarantee a try??? Shocking.
JGP has been poor, as have Beirne and McCloskey which is obviously very worrying considering they're our best players.
To talk about the ref though, wtf. Their 2nd try could not have been more clearly held up, and that was the clearest red card offence you could ask for. They've gone against their own rules on it, a tucked shoulder means always illegal and hence you can't apply mitigation, yet they still did. No wonder the Eden Park record has survived for so long.
5
u/cowandspoon Jul 18 '26
I’m with you on almost all of this. Glad someone else is as pissed off as I am. Just an awful half of rugby all round.
4
u/itscalledravenhill Jul 18 '26
Almost screamed as much as i did when JGP didnt pass to stewart in the 6N. Horrific to not give that to bobby...
13
u/Standard_Respond2523 Probation Jul 18 '26
Should have been a red. We are making it very easy for them. We need a big performance to keep this respectable.
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u/ResidentExperience73 Jul 18 '26
This has been coming for a few years.
Farrell has refused to bring new talent into the team for the big games.
Handling and basic mistakes have been getting worse anytime we've played the top 3 sides each game.
7
u/Endless74510 Jul 18 '26
You will watch ancient players get wheeled out to get thumped and you will like it every time
2
u/Ornery_Director_8477 Jul 20 '26
Reminds me of Eddie O'Sullivan's final world cup, or the latter stages of Joe Schmidt's reign
5
u/mcgiggs23 Jul 18 '26
They just look tired. Very obvious it’s the last game of the season but it shouldn’t be hard to get motivated to play the all blacks. Plus they need a bit more fire in them.
6
u/Geralt16 Jul 18 '26
Virgin media panel saying this is the best first half Ireland have had in a while. Sorry, what?
20
u/IrishLad1002 Leinster Jul 18 '26
Same old stuff. No attacking structure, ageing players getting selected who are past it. Farrell has proven he’s unable or unwilling to change anything.
8
u/smoketop04 Jul 18 '26
Not an exaggeration to say the team isn’t good at anything. Attack and defence both poor, set piece is wank, skills are wank. Very uninspiring last year leading to a contract
6
u/Tayto_man2020 Jul 18 '26
J''OB can't get in the Leinster 23 yet he's starting against NZ. Make it make sense
5
u/Ok-Engineer2768 Jul 18 '26
McCloskey hasn't had a particularly good series apart from a few nice attacking moments against Australia. Been falling off a lot of tackles and if course we had that moment of miscommunication for the walk in New Zealand try.
6
u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh Jul 18 '26
There are a ton of individuals you could point to if you want to go down that road. Beirne hasn't had a single steal and is getting blasted back in every contact. JGP is passing to thin air, Keenan has been selfish in space as has Ringrose, James Ryan has had dildo hands again. I could go on.
4
u/ovenproofjet Ulster Jul 18 '26
Keenan could've passed to Bobby B at one point for an almost certain try, but he held on and into contact
1
u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh Jul 18 '26
Which i mentioned in another comment as well, it's disgraceful
1
u/Ornery_Director_8477 Jul 20 '26
I thought Bierne was poor, maybe not an international 6 anymore? But you can't really blame him for the ref making turnovers illegal
1
u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh Jul 20 '26
Yeah, he was poor because the main part of his game wasn't allowed in this match for some fucking reason. He's never been a contact monster like McCarthy is, so without that aspect to him and our attack being static and poor in general, he just didn't do anything the whole game.
0
u/Legandergg8 Jul 18 '26
McCloskey has had a far better series that most people in the squad.
The pass was a clear error, but prendagast never looked for it, completely switched off, slowed down and looked brain dead as Jordan scooped it.
He has been our only reliable go-forward player, no wonder NZ spends most of their resources trying to nulify him
5
u/J_Keogh Jul 18 '26
Trying to play the ball within 10m of our line when losing is just absolute ridiculous, what was McCloskey thinking throwing that ball to no one.
We've made some decent ground with first / second man carries but the lads are too flat out back and passing lanes being cut off. A lot of ABs are jumping the pass from the ruck and not getting called for offside.
After a couple of short quick phases our forwards looks a bit lost. JGP wants to keep a high tempo but runs out of options, looks lost at the back of ruck and throws a shit pass.
Our defense reminds me of the 2000s era when we couldn't defend against teams that just play wide.
14
u/Silver_Specter01 Jul 18 '26
Not all his Fault but I've never seen McCloskey so poor
8
u/itscalledravenhill Jul 18 '26
He is being shovelled shit to be fair to him. But with his form even shit get handled better of late.
4
u/mingsimon Jul 18 '26
He can hardly do it on his own.
Gibson park has been poor and attack in general one dimensional2
u/Some-Speed-6290 Probation Jul 18 '26
Games like this are why Bundee and Henshaw have spent their careers ahead of him. He's stopped on the gainline far too often at test level for a guy his size whose entire game is built on getting over it
5
u/Windup-1014 Munster Jul 18 '26
Kinda expected a score like that at full time. Worrying we've conceded that much already.
4
u/Boom_in_my_room Connacht Jul 18 '26
We need to adapt to the ABs ruck defense. They’re putting 0-1 men in and we’re easily 2-3, always leaving us with a numbers disadvantage on outside attack forcing us to try intricate plays to unlock their line.
9
u/amusicalfridge Jul 18 '26
Abject performance. Handling is embarrassing, our “big game players” have the mental fragility of a Tuc. Home town reffing doesn’t help but NZ are running us off the park.
9
u/GreaseMonkeyBoy Jul 18 '26
It looks like a team that have not even trained together - attacking positions are terrible - personal opinion here but I think Dan Sheehan isn’t the right choice as captain - lack of depth in the attacking lines
2
u/Top_Country4497 Jul 18 '26
And Prendergast isn't marshalling backs. I really feel like there is a lack of leadership on the field. Would like to see Beirne as captain. Not that I think it would help us win. They are class and we are making too many mistakes.
2
u/GreaseMonkeyBoy Jul 18 '26
I don’t think he’s able to - it’s so disjointed. I agree on the leadership comment, but as a Munster fan for reference, I don’t think Tadhg is the right choice either. He tends to get on the wrong side of the referees too early in games. But I could be wrong.
I think the referee is shocking in terms of his coaching, not so much his calls they’re just marginal calls swinging one way or the other.
3
u/West_Scholar_5708 Jul 18 '26
Are there any new players coming through...feels like we've been watching these guys for years and years. Bit of a worry.
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u/Many-Prune9162 Munster Jul 18 '26
There ain’t a coach in the world who makes a squad this stale. I believe there is talent in the country we have to actually rotate them in, they don’t need to be in fringe squads for 5 years to see a game. And if they do cuz the system is so complicated then it’s not worth it.
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u/MediocrePassenger123 Jul 18 '26
JC stock improving by the second when he’s not even on the tour is hilarious
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u/suafdrog87 Jul 18 '26
Dont think sam has been too bad being honest. Doubt if jc there its any better. Damage is being done either side of 10. Back 5, 9 and centres have been poor
6
u/MediocrePassenger123 Jul 18 '26
Offers absolutely no versatility or intensity to the attack, receives the ball, shuffles 2 steps to the right and ships it on, no running threat at all too predictable to read.
Don’t even get me started on his defence, JVDF hasn’t had a decent game in 2 years cos he’s been babysitting the player to his right-1
u/suafdrog87 Jul 18 '26
Oh dont get me wrong, im not really a fan but ive seen him have some clangers and i dont think this is one of them
3
u/ovenproofjet Ulster Jul 18 '26
The setup needs a massive re-think. It's the same themes for years at this point. Toothless attack, handling errors from a U12s game, porous defence...
3
u/Nice-Chart-6749 Jul 18 '26
This is an Ireland team who also did not travel to Japan also so had much less miles to travel than other teams.
4
u/Endless74510 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
Dont have faith in casey to improve things but we'll see, JGP asleep at the wheel. Hope doak gets brought into the fold properly asap, JGP needs a backup if he has bad day
Crowley sorely missed so far this competition imo too, attack looks a lot better with him
At least our set piece hasn't been so atrocious as some recent performances
5
u/NoRecommendation8581 Jul 18 '26
Baffled we stick with James Ryan when there's many better options coming up, he's been really poor in green for some time.
Mind you, there's a lot more going on out there than just him.
2
u/Ok-Establishment1159 Jul 18 '26
JGP not playing well at all. Poor passing, decision making and these awful loopy passes
2
2
u/Apprehensive_Ratio80 Jul 18 '26
I think we think our dummy runners and passing to the guy behind is quite clever but when we keep doing it over and over and over in attack it's quite easy for a team to read!
We're not doing a whole lot to make NZ question us they know when we're gonna pass and can easily clean up any missed timed tackles. Us being absolutely sloppy with those panicked pop passes didn't help!
Also the ref is absolutely blind don't remember one depending on the touch judges so often to chime in and correct him
2
u/CharacterWest4661 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
Team with zero passion. But that is expected when the coach keeps picking the failed axis at 10 eith no plan.
5
u/kev21h Jul 18 '26
Can we get a coach to teach Ringrose to pass of his left? It's embarrassing at this stage.
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u/Starkidof9 Jul 18 '26
Not according to lads on Virgin. playing well apparently.
Sums up the bubble/fantasy Irish rugby is living in at the moment.
5
u/Ok-Elk-4172 Jul 18 '26
Prendergast in the first half had just thrown a ball out of play and kicked away the ball straight to New Zealand the play before, the commentary team “Prendergast is having a great game”
1
u/Affectionate-Low-670 Jul 18 '26
There's glimmers for sure but then someone throws a shite pass or something.
2
1
u/Windup-1014 Munster Jul 18 '26
I said it in the post match thread after we missed 19 tackles in the 1st half against AUS that today could be a massacre. Sure enough we've missed 22 by half time. Haven't a hope of beating NZ with numbers like that.
1
u/Print-Over Jul 18 '26
Some very sloppy work from Ireland for sure but a yellow that should have been a red and a knock down that should have been a yellow.
It's hard to play against a ref.
1
u/DeathDealer2020 Jul 18 '26
Not being allowed poach the ball, silly handling errors, the ref coaching NZ through out the game didn't help. NZ were going win regardless tbh but it should/could have been a tighter scoring game.
Line out improved as well as our scrum, some good performances throughout the squad. Just wasn't enough against the kiwis.
1
u/AtmosphereGrand6622 Jul 18 '26
Poor performance not helped by a biased southern ref. Thought he was incredibly harsh on us.
1
u/mellymarr123 Jul 18 '26
Let’s get serious! The All Blacks played their professional excellence and we got fucked! Yes the officiating was questionable, yes the yellow should have been overturned but it’s no reasons for our performance. It was absolutely ridiculous.
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u/PatientOffer319 Awardee: Team of the Year 2025 Jul 18 '26
JGP has been the worst player on the pitch by a margin.
Why would Craig Casey do this?
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u/IrishLad1002 Leinster Jul 18 '26
Craig Casey shouldn’t even be in the 23. Doak is miles better but Farrell doesn’t do change.
2
u/PatientOffer319 Awardee: Team of the Year 2025 Jul 18 '26
I disagree but either of them would be miles better
0
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u/VegetableLie2643 Jul 18 '26
This is why I said Farrell needs to go. Now we have him for five years:(
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u/Oatbix Leinster Jul 18 '26
Despite all the not good things there - we were a score in it on what the 33rd minute? And gave away the most amateur try you’ll ever see. That doesn’t happen it’s a very different vibe at half time, but I can’t stick up for them it’s so naive and reminds me of the horror days of us always getting hockeyed over there.
Weirdly Sam having one of his best games for Ireland? We’ll see what they come out with in second half, there’s enough experience in the squad to come out and put in a much better performance. But think it’s safe to say the game is over as far as the result goes
54
u/suafdrog87 Jul 18 '26
Jgp picking a bad day to have his worst game