
Football
Share
Published 12:32 4 Jul 2022 BST
Explore more on these topics:
Ardie Savea of New Zealand celebrates with Quinn Tupaea after scoring a try against Ireland. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)[/caption]
"We expect the All Blacks to get better [for the Second Test], but we know Ireland are going to get better."There was praise for Crusaders captain Scott Barrett, who had a good game at blindside and disrupted Ireland well, but no mention of his shoulder to Peter O'Mahony's head in the final 10 minutes. Barrett, it has transpired, was not cited for the collision. Kirwan then touched on a topic that has been swirling around rugby circles here for the past five or six years. He turned to Quinlan and asked:
"Is your Irish team too reliant on Johnny Sexton?"Quinlan acknowledged that the Sexton question has been out there for the past five years, and stated how 'incredibly resilient' and reliable the Leinster outhalf has been, over his 13-year Test career. "Ireland never change anyone," Kirwan remarked. "It's been the same football team for the last five years." Quinlan countered that Ireland had fed hookers Rónan Kelleher and Dan Sheehan, and back-row Caelan Doris into the pack, over the past two years, with Andrew Porter now back at loosehead and starting ahead of Cian Healy. "We'd like to have a few more second rows," he added. When it came to predictions for the Second Test at Dunedin, Wilson, Kirwan and Justin Marshall all went for the All Blacks. Quinlan said, "If you want a quick answer, I don't know!" Over in the New Zealand Herald meanwhile, Gregor Paul noted an area of the game that proved crucial in the hosts winning so handsomely. 'Ireland weren't so far behind the All Blacks in the core facets of winning the ball and the collisions,' Paul wrote. 'But they were light years behind in being able to sniff and exploit even a half-chance and the ability of the All Blacks to pounce on counter-attack and sense where an opponent is weak remains the gift that they alone possess.'
Live sport on TV in Ireland this weekend – Football, GAA, Rugby – April 24th to 26th
Some huge clashes! The ultimate TV guide for live weekend sport in Ireland is back! It’s another huge week in the Premier League with Arsenal hosting Newcastle, there are a host of massive inter-county championship matches in both hurling and Gaelic football, and there is an intriguing Irish derby in the URC to look forward […]
Football
1h
Huge changes in store as Lions launch bid to tour new countries
This could be massive! The Lions could soon be adding a new country to their list of touring destinations, according to an exclusive report from The Telegraph. The iconic representative team – which combines the best players from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales – currently tour South Africa, Australia and New Zealand on a rotating […]
Football
7h
Football
Munster statement defends new coach over historical rape accusations
Football