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These are tight margin games.
Get out of Hamilton's shock in 2012 and the total score of the last four tests between New Zealand and Ireland is 96 to 90.
It's tight.
The 2013 game in Aviva was on a tightrope. The visitors, protecting an undefeated season, took advantage of a late Irish mistake to create a seven-point score, winning the score with a clock in the red.
The only success of Ireland, out of 30 attempts, came three years later. 40-29. The score was about right on the balance of the game.
Statistics show that both sides scored 96% in the "rucks won" column. Ireland won eight scrums out of eight, New Zealand three out of three. Ireland has advanced its alignment: 83% to 80%.
Possession: Ireland 51. Territory: New Zealand 51.
Nothing in there either.
Ireland won the penalty game by hand: 4 against 12.
Peter O 'Mahony missed this match and Joe Schmidt felt that he was not in good shape. O & # 39; Mahony felt that he could have done a job. Tight call.
"[Being left out for Chicago] took a few hours to process, "said the flanker in 2016.
The locks Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock were absent from the Chicago match. The second row was an area targeted by Ireland. It worked.
The revenge mission two weeks later, a 21-9 aerial fight at Aviva, was also tight. Could have gone in the other direction.
"A tough match, a real test," said captain Kieran Read, whose team had a 100% record in scrimmage and alignment that day. Ireland has won its seven tournaments but can only boast about 90% of the alignments.
There were many distractions in Saturday's game, centerpiece of the November games: Ireland will face Italy in America; lose Sean O 'Brien in the Argentine primer; Steve Hansen selecting the injured Conor Murray; Larmour apparently usurping Kearney, etc.
But, according to O. Mahony – in harmony with Hansen – this game boils down to a tight game. The five tight, to be precise.
In fact, they all do it.
"I think tight meetings set the tone for every international match," said the 29-year-old.
"They are an integral part of the prepared play, which greatly contributes to the victory and defeat of a match-test.
"Our top five set the tone for us every week and it will be no different this week."
The composition of this group is not yet known but a recall is planned for Devin Toner, which started on the bench against the Pumas.
Ireland lost three of 13 alignments on Saturday.
"When Devin Toner is on the ground, our alignment always goes off well," said Eddie O. Sullivan.
"It's a problem, without him on the ground." We knew early on that it was a problem, and it will be reflected in next week. "
O 'Mahony agrees: "[Devin’s] a very important part of our team. Himself, Hendy, Jamsie, they work incredibly hard.
"These are three amazing line-up operators, and you've seen what they've been able to do in the last two years.
"Obviously, this week, with the starting lineup last week, this is definitely an area of repair for us.
"Our percentages were not what we wanted, and that's the scenario we need to focus on."
What's wrong with the Irish line-up? #RTErugby pic.twitter.com/qKf4saEyVA
– RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) November 10, 2018
This is the first part. The second part concerns the New Zealand line-up, which recorded 92% victory in miserable conditions during the win over England at Twickenham.
"We always focus a lot on the opposition," said O. Mahony, in focus for heading number 52.
"You see the statistics that they have, the New Zealand tests mark their alignment.
"This is by far the highest field from which they have scored, this is an area we will focus on.
"This is a difficult area because their alignment is very neat.
"The options they have in Whitelock, Read, Retallick, Squire, Ardie Savea, are all very competent lineout operators.
"Argentina's defense was very strong, very impressive and it had two very good attacks from the starting line but it's an area with which you fight every week." The defenses are getting so good, it will not be different this week. "
Brian O 'Driscoll has never crossed the finish line against New Zealand, a regret that stands out in a career filled with medals.
O 'Mahony, who was captain of the Lions in the first test losing last summer but who did not figure in the win or the draw, is in the same boat, in the # Current state of affairs.
"It's for all those who are chosen to play the best they can for Ireland"
Despite this, he claims that he can not afford to take it personally.
"It's not up to me to have an agenda or anyone," he replies to a question about missing opportunities, against his will, in Chicago.
"It's for all those who are chosen to play as well as possible in Ireland.
"If you're too emotional, you'll miss a beat and if you miss a beat against those guys, that's seven points.
"If you stay 9 and a half minutes out of 10 and you miss 30 seconds, you can be pretty sure you'll be under the stick."
It's going to be tight.
Follow Ireland v New Zealand via our live stream on RTÉ.ie / sport and the News Now app, watch live on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ player or listen to the live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1 this saturday (coup d & # 39; sending 19h)
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