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'We’ve done it in New Zealand': Ireland coach fires warning to All Blacks
By PA
Ireland believe they are capable of significant improvement moving towards a pivotal Paris showdown with Scotland.
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Andy Farrell’s side underlined their Rugby World Cup credentials by scalping defending champions South Africa to register a third successive Pool B victory.
Saturday evening’s thrilling 13-8 success at Stade de France put Ireland on the brink of the quarter-finals but they will likely need to avoid defeat against the Scots at the same venue on October 7 to complete the job.
Players are currently enjoying a few days off following a stirring display against the Springboks and departed camp feeling they can and must perform better.
Defence coach Simon Easterby said: “There’s so much belief in what the players are doing. They pitch up time and time again.
“We got the reward (against South Africa) but there’s lots we could be better at and that’s the feeling in the changing room.
“(We’re) really pleased with a lot of aspects of the performance but we know we have to be better.
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“The games will get tougher.
“There’s a few things that have gone on over the last couple of seasons that give the guys confidence and trust in what we’re doing.
“This is another stepping stone I guess towards what we all want to try to achieve over the next couple of weeks.
“We’re genuinely feeling that we can get better and we need to get better as the competition goes on. There’s more in us and we have to get better.”
Ireland lead their group on 14 points after backing up bonus-point victories over Romania and Tonga in style in front of tens of thousands of Irish fans in the French capital.
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Yet the Springboks and upcoming opponents Scotland can still deny Test rugby’s top-ranked nation a place in the knockout rounds.
Easterby says Six Nations champions Ireland have proven they are a team for big occasions, having defeated each of their major rivals during the past two years, including last summer’s historic tour success over the All Blacks.
“That’s not a one-off,” he said of the weekend result. “We’ve done it in New Zealand, we’ve done it in the autumn series last year against South Africa so that doesn’t surprise us.
“I guess the level of physicality and the brutality of the game these days, that’s something that the players have got to get their heads around and to a man they did that.
“You’ve got to make sure you enjoy these occasions.
“The support was incredible and those of us who were lucky enough to be at the stadium will remember that type of support for a long time.”
Right but you can't see the poaching done by new Zealand. Your a strange one man.These guys were never going to be all Blacks, simple as 👍
Only idiot pundits that cannot see the obvious, something you want to continue. Simple rule change would prevent this poaching. These star players don't belong to Ireland any more than a Irish professional playing for Connacht belongs to the Allblacks. It's poaching and it doesn't matter how many times you claim I'm stupid it's poaching.
This what I mean about talking to stupid people. I never once said this is where they need to go. They got an opportunity to go somewhere to thrive and make them the player they are today. Your own pundits even agree with me. Stop been so stupid dude
Yes, good luck. If you think Ireland is where NZ professionals need to go to be 'developed' you need it.
Right your denial so, when the facts are out there. They weren't poached, they were giving an opportunity that they weren't getting there. I'm done with this now, good luck
Dude, there are no professional rugby players poached by NZ from the Pacific islands, you cannot name one! Aki, Park and Lowe all deliberately poached from NZ's top professional comp. Stop spinning nonsense. The Pacific islands are actually stacked with NZers. Tonga and Samoa wouldn't be viable without them and they train in NZ
Farrell we certainly are not afraid of Ireland either - beaten 30 times to 5 - 60 Nil in 2012 - NZ know how to play and win World Cups and our up coming quarter will be no different Ireland to lose this just as they did in 2019 - oh and by the way dont get too carried away with your series win it wasnt a whitewash it was during the covid plandemic we lost our coaches and a second test red card Once our best team is back and Blackadder is in Ireland will have their work cut out containing us - we know how to find holes and we will match you up front and on the bench our backs are better bring it on
There is no question that this Barbarians selection is a very good selection of three X factor Kiwis coached by two Englishman with an Australian and South African added in along with some actually very good Irish players.
Should this team win the cup then it would demonstrate that taking a bunch of tier one rugby professionals from multiple countries and combining them is a great way to win world cups.
Hopefully it would get rule changes in place soon after to stop tier ones allowed to poach from other tier ones.
How's your grapes Conrad?
It's a pity the NZ system couldn't turn them into the great players that the Irish system has.
This coming from a NZ'er is so hypocritical and hilarious at the same time! 😂
In the 2023 Rugby Championship 10 All Blacks players are Foreign-Born.
As a Polynesian rugby fanatic I think the permeation of players and staff from traditional top rugby countries like SA and NZ is something to be proud of. The reality is there isn't enough team spots for them to play for their native countries so they go abroad, play professional and eventually settle down somewhere else. The fact that almost EVERY country has a star poly in the backs or forwards simply makes my heart swell with pride.. So many people here have nothing nice to say..
They are all Irish players!!, nobody was poached or press ganged or blackmailed, nor any other underhand method that you snidely allude to.
All of Ireland current players qualify totally 100% by the world rugby guidelines.....or they couldn't play.
Regarding the coaches, it's an absolute irrelevance what nations they come from, they were approached by the IRFU and they took the job.
Bitterness is never a good look.
Easterby should learn that arrogance in rugby bites you back and his comments will assist the ABs preparation for the QF no end. Ireland are fast becoming England of old and are the most hated team in world rugby and every other nation will do their utmost to inflict as much misery as they can on them. There's winning, being confident and sheer arrogance and I'm afraid our friends in green are falling quickly into the last category and it's not pleasant!
He is letting the all Blacks nó, Ireland don't fear them anymore. What's wrong with that. There is certainly no arrogance in this Ireland team.
New Zealand aren't the domince force that they used to be, but it just looks like your taking your anger out on Ireland because you want your team on that level. Your coming across all bitter dude
They're still a long way short of English arrogance, a very high bar - they're enjoying their wins, good on them.
Hoping ABs get past Italy and set up an absolute cracker QF against the Irish, a lot of hurt from the NZ series last year is still fresh - wouldn't want to be Peter O'Mahoney at the bottom of a ruck ;)
Look at me, I’m determined to be outraged!!! Your hatred of us is a huge step up from your previous contempt. 😂