Saturday 16 June 2012

New Zealand v Ireland - Preview


Ireland face a huge challenge to keep their Test series against New Zealand alive as international rugby returns to Christchurch on Saturday.

Three Julian Savea tries helped the All Blacks beat Ireland 42-10 last weekend.

The All Blacks will not want to slip up as they return to the city for the first time since the 2011 earthquake in which 185 people were killed.

Andrew Trimble is one of four changes for Ireland while Adam Thomson replaces injured Victor Vito for the All Blacks.

Trimble takes over from last weekend's Test debutant Simon Zebo on the wing with Kevin McLaughlin, Mike Ross and Gordon D'Arcy also returning for the Ireland.

McLaughlin is preferred to Peter O'Mahony at flanker with fit-again prop Ross taking over from Declan Fitzpatrick and D'Arcy replacing injured centre Keith Earls.

Despite New Zealand's overwhelming superiority in Auckland, the home side's management were not entirely happy with the display.

The presence of 10 Canterbury players in the All Blacks squad - including skipper Richie McCaw - should also motivate the home side to seal a series victory.

"We went for a drive through the town on the way here," said McCaw.

"I think the guys, and even myself, I haven't been through there properly.

"One of the things we've talked about is one-on-one tackles." Ireland centre Gordon D'Arcy

"You realise the significance of what's happened here and just a wee reminder of that was enough."

The powerful 6.3-magnitude quake in February last year destroyed much of the city centre.

As a result, the Crusaders home ground lost the chance to host seven World Cup matches.

The return of international rugby to a hastily built new stadium has seen all 21,000 tickets sell out quickly.

"It's just great from a Cantabrians point of view to have footy here, and a Test match, and that's what we're looking forward to," added McCaw.

However, conditions may not be inviting with freezing temperatures being predicted for Saturday's game.

Ireland centre D'Arcy acknowledged that Irish tackling will have to improve from last week if another drubbing is to be avoided.

"From myself and Brian's [O'Driscoll] point of view, we know we've got our job cut out," said D'Arcy.

"One of the things we've talked about is one-on-one tackles. That's something we've got to live and die by.

"It's not about the first phase it's that fifth, sixth, seventh phase, that missed tackle, one-on-one and when they get in behind with three guys flooding through against the full-back.

"What we learned was that you can't put three guys into the tackle and breakdown, especially when you have guys like Sonny Bill [Williams] who can make offloads when he's got two players on him.

New Zealand: I Dagg; Z Guildford, C Smith, S Bill Williams, J Savea; D Carter; A Smith; T Woodcock, A Hore, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, A Thomson, R McCaw (capt), K Read. Replacements: H Elliot, B Franks, A Williams, S Cane, P Weepu, A Cruden, B Smith.

Ireland: R Kearney, F McFadden, B O'Driscoll [capt], G D'Arcy, A Trimble, J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best, M Ross; D Tuohy, D Ryan; K McLaughlin, S O'Brien, J Heaslip. Replacements: S Cronin, D Fitzpatrick, D O'Callaghan, P O'Mahony, E Reddan, R O'Gara, S Zebo.


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