Going to kick this off by saying in modern professional rugby the ABs being “fired up” after a loss won’t cut the mustard. To win, need the right selections, the right tactics & gameplay and the right discipline. The amateur era of ABs get angry and tear apart the “plucky” Irish is from another time.

Play a 6 at 6 a 7 at 7 and an 8 at 8 with one of the three being a genuine Lineout option on attack but also on defence.

Another very poor loss here and I would put a new coaching team in before the 4N.

Akira has to start at 6 and whitelock back at lock and fainganuku out completely for Will Jordan and mounga for Barrett

Official's

New Zealand v Ireland
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
ARs: Karl Dickson (RFU) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU

Have to say I'm pretty keen to see Barnes in the middle after his performance in the MAB vs IRE 1st Test. I thought he managed that game well.

@family-man said in ABs vs Ire - series decider:

whitelock back at lock

Might be out with the concussion protocols.

@family-man said in ABs vs Ire - series decider:

Akira has to start at 6 and whitelock back at lock and fainganuku out completely for Will Jordan and mounga for Barrett

Lol Mounga what?? Ireland will swallow him up as he runs down blind alleys all night

He's offering less than nothing off the bench so we should elevate him?

I’d have Nepo and ST start in the front row. Bower has been good.

Sam and Scott have been the best locks.

Akira has obviously been missed, starts at 6 if fit. Sotutu at 8 and Cane at 7 (last chance saloon). Vaa’i at six if Akira’s foot is not right.

Dalton and Vaa’i on the bench with DP to come on for Cane.

When Cane goes off I’d try SB as captain as that’s where we may have to go if Cane keeps playing poorly and captaining even worse.

As for the backs, keep Barrett. RM had his chance to claim the spot in his 30mins and was very poor. The current pattern they are trying is long wide passes, BB is far better at this.

And I would throw RTS into the deep end with DH on bench if it doesn’t pay off. If we are going to continue to do stupid one off runs a guy that always beats one or two players on the hit up will help. He can also catch a pass.

Jordan and Reece as the wings if Clarke is not ready. LF was extremely poor and can’t be risked against good sides.

Selections are one aspect, but defence system is too passive and we aren’t kicking enough, or the right kicks. The team pattern is clearly for these bombs, it ain’t working.

Start Akira, RTS and Jordan.

At least that way there might be a bit of spark in the attack.

@Tim they said 12 days and was announced the Monday after wasnt it, so game day would be 12 days, so I'd say zero chance he plays unfortunately.

Bower, ST, Laulala
Barrett, Vaii
Akira, Sotutu, DP,
Smith, BB
Goodhue, Reiko
Reece, Jordie, Jordan

That'd be my starting 15, I suspect I'll be wrong by at least 5 players.

@Kirwan surely Sotutu will be in the 23 over butter fingers Pita Gus

@FakatavaAllBlack said in ABs vs Ire - series decider:

@Kirwan surely Sotutu will be in the 23 over butter fingers Pita Gus

Only covers 8. So I can see why they are looking at 6/8 from PGS. In my team he would be starting.

Wholesale change would be a sign they are wrong

So you can rule that out.

It's so hard to say much positive about many from last nights game..

I feel Foster will largely rinse and repeat.
For me it's playing three 7s that is strange... Paps was disappointing in 6 (I'm a fan of him in 7) and he wasn't alone in being disappointing... Lock is troubling... BBBR in his twilight, Patrick T didn't show me enough either... Brings me back to selections.,.. Would have been a perfect opportunity to blood someone like Josh Lord with the future in mind... But hey we know Fossie is not into developing player depth or a new game plan..

I would be happy to see some changes in midfield... RI certainly worth persisting with at this stage.. But we really need to develop a solid combination in 12 13...quickly.

@Mattasaurus isn’t Lord injured?

@Kirwan said in ABs vs Ire - series decider:

@Mattasaurus isn’t Lord injured?

Oh I wasn't aware of that

goodhue , laulala and clarke didnt warm up with team late night i think they were only ones.everyone else in squad were out there

@Mattasaurus just looked it up, out for the rest of the ABs season this year. Bummer.

@Kirwan said in ABs vs Ire - series decider:

@Mattasaurus just looked it up, out for the rest of the ABs season this year. Bummer.

Bugger...

We certainly need more depth in the engine room. I can see SB cementing 6 if AI doesn't come back in and make it his (hope he does - but I'd like to see him play tighter than he did in SR)

@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs Ireland - series decider:

@Tim they said 12 days and was announced the Monday after wasnt it, so game day would be 12 days, so I'd say zero chance he plays unfortunately.

Bower, ST, Laulala
Barrett, Vaii
Akira, Sotutu, DP,
Smith, BB
Goodhue, Reiko
Reece, Jordie, Jordan

That'd be my starting 15, I suspect I'll be wrong by at least 5 players.

Savea best player in 1st test, DP anonymous in the 2nd. It’s like saying Frizzell was awesome in SR so he must make the starting XV. Has DP yet had a very good game for the ABs against proper opposition.

Provided Retallick and Vaai are fit I’d probably go SB again at 6, since he’s a jumper. Otherwise Akira.

Sotutu has to be in the mix. PGS sadly has looked a bit overawed in both Tests off the bench.

Not sure if that would change if PGS was running on in the starting 15, but he's not (yet) good enough to warrant that.

I mean the first Q is is Cane still captain? If yes he starts at 7. If not then who is captain (whitelock will be out)? If you keep cane then imo it’s SB at 6 and ardie at 8 and I’d have sotutu and akira on the bench (SB covering lock, dont want PT anywhere near the 23). If you dump your captain then I’d put ardie at 7, sotutu at 8 and akira and DP on the bench.

TBH I think the tactics are more of a problem. You can change the team but if it’s just midfield bombs and wide passes from AS then result will be the same.