I don’t think anything really changes after that game.
We (a general we including myself) were all delighted with the 2 extra Māori games and the 3 test series, to get some lads who don’t get opportunities a chance for some tough games. One of them down and 4 to go.
We are looking at losing all 5 games but I think we probably always were, same as it ever was when we go to NZ. We have a shot in the 1st test on Saturday and I think today has no effect on that.
We played badly today, no arguments but some of the lads playing just are not good enough for this level, we know who they are and knew it before the game started so no need to name them, the others will hopefully take a lot from the game. I’d expect a much better performance in the next Māori game (if we can field a team
) but we will likely lose it.
We (that word again) generally believe that for Ireland to beat a team like NZ in a one off match everything has to go for us, full squad going into it, no injuries during it, set piece to work, have the bounce of the ball go in our favour, so this tour wasn’t the place where we were going to make miracles happen especially down there at the end of our season but we can still get some positives out of it, decent performances in the tests and maybe nick one and an improved showing from the second string against the Māori next time out.
Maybe a dose of reality about the level of some of our fringe players who people big up might be good for our humility but no doubt they will just throw out another random name who would a should a toured/made a difference without having/being able to ever back the claim up.
Young lads like Hume, Frawley, TOT, McCarthy, Coombes, Prendegast look like they will have good international careers ahead of them, this game should stand to them going forward.
"Horrocks went one way, Taylor the other and I was left holding the bloody hyphen!"
~The Late Great Mick English