Well, it is do or die time (Win or go home) as the quarterfinals of the 2019 Rugby World Cup tournament are here (But it's England facing Australia 1st before New Zealand take on Ireland (The winner of this quarterfinal encounter will face either the Poms or Aussies in the semifinal in Yokohama but the referee in charge of the New Zealand/Ireland game will be Nigel Owens of Wales (Who took charge in the final of the 2015 tournament) then the other quarterfinal games are Wales against 2023 hosts France & tournament hosts Japan (1st Asian team to reach the quarterfinals & 13th different country to reach the quarterfinal) against South Africa (They are still haunted by that miracle on Brighton defeat 4 years ago) but the All Blacks have revealed our team to play against Ireland (Who will try to end New Zealand's reign as world champions in rugby union (And their last meeting between the 2 sides was last year where Ireland ran away as winners in Dublin in only their 2nd win (Their other victory was in Chicago in 2016 (The last time the All Blacks had beaten Ireland in the same year) as well as ending their quarterfinal jinx at the Rugby World Cup (They have been to the quarterfinals before, appearing in it 6 times (1987, 1991, 1995, 2003, 2011 & 2015) & lost on all of that 6 occasions (Against Australia twice in 1987 & 1991, France twice in 1995 & 2003, Wales in 2011 & Argentina in 2015) but had never reached both the semifinal & final (And well, this is high octane stuff but we'll see in 2 days time (And who'll raise the stakes? It is a must win or else they'll go home) but New Zealand has never lost a Rugby World Cup game since the quarterfinal against France in 2007 but we haven't lost a single World Cup game since (It was 17 straight victories (In 2011 against Tonga, Japan, France & Canada in the pool stages, Argentina in the quarters, Australia in the semis & France in the final, 2015 against Argentina, Namibia, Georgia & Tonga in the pool stages, France in the quarters, South Africa in the semis & Australia in the final & this year against South Africa, Canada & Namibia in the pool stages) & a draw due to the match against Italy being cancelled because of a typhoon + 2 World Cup triumphs in 2011 & 2015) at Tokyo Stadium so here is the starting lineup in it's entirety:
PLAYING XV
FRONT ROW
1 (Loose head prop): Joe Moody (Crusaders/Canterbury)
2 (Hooker): Codie Taylor (Crusaders/Canterbury)
3 (Tight head prop): Nepo Laulala (Chiefs/Counties Manukau)
SECOND ROW
4 (Lock): Brodie Retallick (Chiefs/Hawke's Bay)
5 (Lock): Sam Whitelock (Crusaders/Canterbury)
BACK ROW
6 (Blind side flanker): Ardie Savea (Hurricanes/Wellington)
7 (Open side flanker): Sam Cane (Chiefs/Bay Of Plenty)
8 (Number 8): Kieran Read (Captain, Crusaders/Counties Manukau)
HALVES
9 (Half-back): Aaron Smith (Highlanders/Manawatu)
10 (First five-eighth): Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders/Canterbury)
MIDFIELD
12 (Second five-eighth): Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs/Waikato)
13 (Centre): Jack Goodhue (Crusaders/Northland)
OUTSIDE BACKS
11 (Left wing): George Bridge (Crusaders/Canterbury)
14 (Right wing): Sevu Reece (Crusaders/Waikato)
& 15 (Fullback): Beauden Barrett (Blues/Taranaki)
And in the reserves are:
16. Dane Coles
17. Ofa Tu'ungafasi
18. Angus Ta'avao
19. Scott Barrett (Who has dropped to the bench to replace Patrick Tuipulotu)
20. Matt Todd
21. TJ Perenara (Who replaces Brad Weber to cover at halfback)
22. Sonny Bill Williams (Who returns to the bench to cover the second five position)
& 23. Jordie Barrett (Who is dropped to the bench to replace Ben Smith)
Squad members not playing:
Liam Coltman, Ryan Crotty, Shannon Frizell, Rieko Ioane, Atu Moli, Ben Smith, Patrick Tuipulotu & Brad Weber.
And Ireland have named their team as well as their strongest possible lineup when they take to the field against the All Blacks:
PLAYING XV
FRONT ROW
1 (Loose head prop): Cian Healy (Leinster)
2 (Hooker): Rory Best (Captain, Ulster)
3 (Tight head prop): Tadhg Furlong (Leinster)
SECOND ROW
4 (Lock): Iain Henderson (Ulster)
5 (Lock): James Ryan (Leinster)
BACK ROW
6 (Blind side flanker): Peter O'Mahony (Munster)
7 (Open side flanker): Josh van der Flier (Leinster)
8 (Number 8): CJ Stander (Munster)
HALVES
9 (Half-back/Scrum-half): Conor Murray (Munster)
10 (First five-eighth/Fly-half): Jonathan Sexton (Leinster)
MIDFIELD
12 (Second five-eighth/Inside centre): Robbie Henshaw (Leinster)
13 (Centre/Outside centre): Gary Ringrose (Leinster)
OUTSIDE BACKS
11 (Left wing): Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)
14 (Right wing): Keith Earls (Munster)
& 15 (Fullback): Rob Kearney (Leinster)
And in the reserves are:
16. Niall Scannell
17. David Kilcoyne
18. Andrew Porter
19. Tadhg Beirne
20. Rhys Ruddock
21. Luke McGrath
22. Joey Carbery
& 23. Jordan Larmour
Squad members not playing:
Bundee Aki (Suspended), Jack Carty, Andrew Conway, Sean Cronin, Chris Farrell, Jean Kleyn, Jordi Murphy & John Ryan.
So that is my 323rd blog of the year 2019 (MMXIX) & my 63rd of this year.
FRONT ROW
1 (Loose head prop): Joe Moody (Crusaders/Canterbury)
2 (Hooker): Codie Taylor (Crusaders/Canterbury)
3 (Tight head prop): Nepo Laulala (Chiefs/Counties Manukau)
SECOND ROW
4 (Lock): Brodie Retallick (Chiefs/Hawke's Bay)
5 (Lock): Sam Whitelock (Crusaders/Canterbury)
BACK ROW
6 (Blind side flanker): Ardie Savea (Hurricanes/Wellington)
7 (Open side flanker): Sam Cane (Chiefs/Bay Of Plenty)
8 (Number 8): Kieran Read (Captain, Crusaders/Counties Manukau)
HALVES
9 (Half-back): Aaron Smith (Highlanders/Manawatu)
10 (First five-eighth): Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders/Canterbury)
MIDFIELD
12 (Second five-eighth): Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs/Waikato)
13 (Centre): Jack Goodhue (Crusaders/Northland)
OUTSIDE BACKS
11 (Left wing): George Bridge (Crusaders/Canterbury)
14 (Right wing): Sevu Reece (Crusaders/Waikato)
& 15 (Fullback): Beauden Barrett (Blues/Taranaki)
And in the reserves are:
16. Dane Coles
17. Ofa Tu'ungafasi
18. Angus Ta'avao
19. Scott Barrett (Who has dropped to the bench to replace Patrick Tuipulotu)
20. Matt Todd
21. TJ Perenara (Who replaces Brad Weber to cover at halfback)
22. Sonny Bill Williams (Who returns to the bench to cover the second five position)
& 23. Jordie Barrett (Who is dropped to the bench to replace Ben Smith)
Squad members not playing:
Liam Coltman, Ryan Crotty, Shannon Frizell, Rieko Ioane, Atu Moli, Ben Smith, Patrick Tuipulotu & Brad Weber.
And Ireland have named their team as well as their strongest possible lineup when they take to the field against the All Blacks:
PLAYING XV
FRONT ROW
1 (Loose head prop): Cian Healy (Leinster)
2 (Hooker): Rory Best (Captain, Ulster)
3 (Tight head prop): Tadhg Furlong (Leinster)
SECOND ROW
4 (Lock): Iain Henderson (Ulster)
5 (Lock): James Ryan (Leinster)
BACK ROW
6 (Blind side flanker): Peter O'Mahony (Munster)
7 (Open side flanker): Josh van der Flier (Leinster)
8 (Number 8): CJ Stander (Munster)
HALVES
9 (Half-back/Scrum-half): Conor Murray (Munster)
10 (First five-eighth/Fly-half): Jonathan Sexton (Leinster)
MIDFIELD
12 (Second five-eighth/Inside centre): Robbie Henshaw (Leinster)
13 (Centre/Outside centre): Gary Ringrose (Leinster)
OUTSIDE BACKS
11 (Left wing): Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)
14 (Right wing): Keith Earls (Munster)
& 15 (Fullback): Rob Kearney (Leinster)
And in the reserves are:
16. Niall Scannell
17. David Kilcoyne
18. Andrew Porter
19. Tadhg Beirne
20. Rhys Ruddock
21. Luke McGrath
22. Joey Carbery
& 23. Jordan Larmour
Squad members not playing:
Bundee Aki (Suspended), Jack Carty, Andrew Conway, Sean Cronin, Chris Farrell, Jean Kleyn, Jordi Murphy & John Ryan.
So that is my 323rd blog of the year 2019 (MMXIX) & my 63rd of this year.
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