Despite the vast number of permutations ahead of Ireland Rugby World Cup clash with Scotland this Saturday, an Irish victory and a quarter-final date with the All Blacks is still likely, given form and past results.
Since their loss to France in the opening game of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, New Zealand have won back a decent amount of faith and plaudits after their 96-17 drubbing of Italy.
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However, the former All Black scrum-half, Justin Marshall, fears for his side in the last eight, suggesting that they may be undercooked against an Ireland rugby team that will have faced South Africa and Scotland in their last two games.
“You can’t replicate tough rugby, apart from being in the match and being in the grind," said Marshall in an interview with New Zealand based podcast The Platform.
And the All Blacks simply haven’t had that since Paris, and they won’t get it (against Uruguay) either.
Unfortunately for them, Italy threw up no resistance. You see Ardie’s try, you see Aaron Smith’s try where tacklers there just fell off them.
These guys all of a sudden haven’t become supermen where tacklers can’t tackle them. I’m not saying that disrespectfully to their talent or skills, but these are tackles that should be being made.
Ex-All Black Justin Marshall Fears For Side Ahead Of Potential Ireland Rugby Clash
9 July 2022; Former New Zealand player Justin Marshall, left, in conversation with Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt before the Steinlager Series match between the New Zealand and Ireland at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
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“Where are you going to get that edge?," Marshall added.
"Who is going to harden you up like South Africa and Ireland (rugby) are being?
“They were not there on the day. Tackling at 63 per cent after falling off 38 tackles, that’s not a side that is at the level they should be at.
“I just have to throw into the mix; we spoke about this French game and South African game at Twickenham, they were the two biggest Tests for the All Blacks.
“It was to show that when they get into a real tough game, they can fight their way out of it and win those matches. Well, we know what happened in both of them.
“I hoped that Italy would offer some resistance and ask some questions, but they asked none, not one single question.
“I just wonder whether it was a game the All Blacks needed, given that they’ve got Uruguay coming up and then a quarter-final knockout.
“The one encouragement we’ve got, should we progress in this tournament, is that France are in the same boat. At the end of the day, they’ve had no resistance since the All Blacks game.”
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