The post-mortem on last Friday’s less than rip-roaring performance by Ireland against New Zealand continues, with similar ones taking place in England, Italy and Scotland after their defeats to Australia, Argentina and South Africa. “The old world order has been restored,” writes Gerry Thornley, noting “the fine line between success and failure in international rugby” - “apparently it’s called the equator”. There’s always someone worse off, though - spare a thought for Wales whose losing streak was extended to 10 games by Fiji last weekend.
Ireland have a chance to get back on the horse this Friday when Argentina come to town, the big decision for Andy Farrell who to play at outhalf. Both Jack Crowley and Ciaran Frawley were, Gerry believes, “undermined by the experience” against the All Blacks, but with Sam Prendergast possibly earmarked for a Test debut against Fiji, “it would make sense to give Frawley an Irish jersey with the number ‘10′ on it for the first time against Argentina”.
While Mack Hansen was relieved to be back playing again for the first time since January, he too was left deflated by the defeat. “It just wasn’t who we are or who we’ve come to be over the last three or four years,” he tells Johnny Watterson. Argentina will be no pushovers either, not least with the brilliant Juan Martín González on board, Gerry hearing from the “dynamic, X factor player”.
Owen Doyle, meanwhile, wants some clarification on Scott Barrett’s complaints about Joe McCarthy after the game, when he claimed that the Irish lock had “cleaned up” Damien McKenzie when he was lying on the ground. “If Barrett was wrong in his assertion, then he needs to say so and set the record straight,” writes Owen, but “if the player was guilty of something unacceptable, then equally, Andy Farrell must say so”.
On the soccer front, Ireland are preparing for Thursday and Sunday’s Nations League games against Finland and England, respectively, manager Heimir Hallgrímsson not without his injury woes. Sammie Szmodics is hale and hearty, though, and in fine fettle after scoring with a tasty overhead kick against Spurs on Sunday to send send Ipswich on their way to their first Premier League win of the season.
In Gaelic games, Seán Moran brings conformation that Croke Park will host both the Leinster football and hurling club finals on November 30th, while in racing Brian O’Connor hears from ex-trainer Ger Hussey who describes Horse Racing Ireland’s response to his proposals for setting up a new centralised hub for the rehoming of retired racehorses as “discouraging”.
TV Watch: DAZN have coverage of a bunch of games from the women’s Champions League today, among them the meeting of Juventus and Katie McCabe’s Arsenal at 5.45pm.
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