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'No, it’s not, that’s the truth' - Andy Farrell rubbishes Ireland subplot
By PA
Head coach Andy Farrell hopes a raucous Dublin crowd can help Ireland topple the All Blacks.
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A sold-out Aviva Stadium awaits New Zealand on Friday evening as the hosts attempt to right the wrongs of last year’s World Cup quarter-final exit in Paris.
Farrell, who dismissed the notion of revenge being a motivating factor, anticipates an electric atmosphere, with a planned pre-match light show set to fire up supporters.
“That’s what everyone wants – I’m sure that they (New Zealand) want it as well,” he said.
“That’s what normally happens when the All Blacks come to town anyway. I haven’t seen it any different to that, so I think Irish rugby’s in a good place.
“I think everyone knows New Zealand are always the team to beat so I expect it (the atmosphere) to be as good as ever, if not better.”
Ireland suffered a dramatic 28-24 loss to the All Blacks at Stade de France just over 12 months ago.
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Farrell insists avenging that heartbreaking result is not part of his thinking.
“No, it’s not, that’s the truth,” he said.
“Do you need that when you’re playing against one of the best teams in the world?
“Playing against the All Blacks has always brought that edge to any type of game. This is a top-level Test match that everybody wants to be involved in.
“Don’t get me wrong, we were gutted to lose that game, but that’s so much in the distant past for us now.”
Ireland went 111 years without beating New Zealand – losing 27 and drawing once in 28 meetings – before a 40-29 success in Chicago in 2016.
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Including that landmark victory at Soldier Field, the reigning Six Nations champions have won five of the last nine matches against the All Blacks.
“I suppose New Zealand over the years have had it in a sense where they’ve probably thought they should win against Ireland,” said Farrell.
“But hopefully the way that we’ve performed or improved since Soldier Field, the respect is a little bit higher from their side for us now.”
ABs by 4……
IF
The Razor gang has given the AB’s a game plan A, B, C & etc (unlike so many AB games since 2016). &
IF
AB’s play 80+ minutes. &
IF
ABs do their individual & team jobs error free (‘ish) (unlike so many AB team since 2016). &
IF
All the ‘critical V Ireland’ AB form mobile forwards stay on field for the 80min S.Barrett, Sititi, Savea, and Vaa’i swap with Cane when he tires & Tuipulotu comes on. Finau back up. &
IF
The 10's get a better ‘cunning game plan’ than BB, ie his kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, kicky, ETC! (& MacK does have a better game plan). &
IF
Aumua can throw to lineouts . &
IF
The AB’s can remember their lineout calls (unlike too many V England games 1, 2 & 3). &
IF
Williams can be coached to stop being sucked into experienced tactics to drop him to the ground. &
IF
The AB coaches, teach all ABs some ‘soccer like’ drama queen fouling acting skills to make clear to the ref 1 of the most common Irish tactics ie obstruction by ‘stray’ decoy attackers around contact zone (tackle, ruck, maul). &
IF
The ABs have their arm out away if not tackling any, again, decoy attackers (or defenders) that run into them to try milk penalties as England did (eg penalty against Cane the worst). &
IF
S.Barrett can change & captain with assertiveness & presence to even be noticed by the ref (way to passive). &
IF
There's no food poisoning.
Re Sexton,
Ouch that pain must be eternal. Oh yer it is forever.
That's the self deluding thing about misplaced ego...
Quote Sexton,
and
... from some who just stated he has & probably never will watch the replay.
Strange that.
Clearly Whitelock wasn't part of the tackle & only went in OVER going for the ball.
Nice try Sexton. Again.
Go on. Watch the replay Sexton. Oh & I, & most AB fans would like to watch you watch it ... then you're silence (only kidding, it's Sexton).
Why would he need to watch it again, he was standing right there? And if you think Whitelock wasn't part of the tackle you're delusional. Refs make mistakes, which is fine, but don't pretend it wasn't a mistake when it blatantly was.
Even if there was a "wrong" to be righted (there isn’t, the better team won) after choking in their eighth RWC QF exit, you'd think it needs to be righted at the next RWC. Thankfully Farrell is rubbishing this nonsense.
But will an Airbus fly over?
I stand to be corrected but the ABs have never won a game in which a jet plane was flown overhead the stadium before kickoff.
2013, Ellis park.
Ja neh bring on the airbus!