Blacks are only going to improve

Rugby: History has shown Ireland's best chance of a first win over the All Blacks probably passed them in Hamilton on Saturday and things are going to become a whole lot tougher next Saturday in Auckland's Eden Park. The way the first Test unfolded only reinforced that view.

Ireland talked the talk after the game, Eddie O'Sullivan and his players welcoming the opportunity to have a second crack at the world's number one side. Yet you cannot but wonder if Ireland can play much better next Saturday, whereas with the All Blacks you can only deduce they will.

Changes to either line-up when they're announced tomorrow will be minimal, Graham Henry highlighting that the All Blacks are effectively working off a 24-man squad. O'Sullivan may have 30 on duty here, but apart from perhaps calling Alan Quinlan on to the bench at the expense of Keith Gleeson, one suspects any Irish changes will stop there, the more so after it was confirmed Shane Horgan will not require an X-ray to his bruised jaw.With the players weary and sore though, today's training was cancelled and replaced by a gym session.

Henry and his brains trust, however, will surely make alterations that are only liable to improve the All Blacks' performance, with Troy Flavell perhaps starting instead of quiet South African-born debutant
Greg Rawlinson, and Jerome Kaino in for Marty Holah in the backrow. Their one casualty, scrumhalf Byron Kelleher, suffered only blurred vision.

On Saturday's evidence these changes would give them more physicality, another viable lineout option and perhaps even more bite in the tackle. The close-in driving play during an attack of more than a dozen phases that ended with a relieving three-pointer by Luke McAlister (relieving for Ireland that is) to push the All Blacks back in front at 24-23 in the 72nd minute might well be a pointer toward a more aggressive, balanced strategy next Saturday.

Media reaction here to the All Blacks' 34-23 win on Saturday was mixed, but with due acknowledgement of Ireland's performance.

Praising Ireland's defence and superiority at the breakdown, nonetheless, former captain and hooker Sean Fitzpatrick wasn't unduly concerned, concluding: "The All Blacks rarely play well in the first Test against Ireland. But it's often a different story in the second."

While Henry did lament a scratchy first-half performance in which too many of the All Blacks' ball carriers went to ground too early for his liking, he was happy with the win "after just five practice sessions together, a big ask against a quality side".

Brian O'Driscoll repeatedly lamented "missed first-up tackles" or "falling off tackles" and that "we stopped playing their rugby", while O'Sullivan, who attributed the second-half turnaround to New Zealand retaining possession and the punishment that ensued, maintained Ireland's use of the ball was not the problem.

"I don't think we gave the ball away very much. We threw the ball around quite a bit when we had it. In fact we ran it from under our own posts a couple of times. But it's not due to our attack plan, but we just needed more ball to execute it. I would not change anything, I'd just like to have more of it."