 O'Sullivan is looking for an improvement in Auckland |
Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has named an unchanged side for Saturday's second Test against the All Blacks. However, only six replacements have been named with O'Sullivan concerned over the fitness of Geordan Murphy who has an achilles tendon strain.
The Irish came agonisingly close to beating New Zealand for the first time but were edged out 34-23 in Hamilton.
"We were accused of being confident but we justified it with the performance we gave," said O'Sullivan.
The Ireland coach believes his side's scrum needs to be stronger but he was impressed with the way his team withstood Saturday's onslaught.
"I think we weren't aggressive in the engagement," he added.
"But as the game went on I don't think there was a massive difference in the scrum and it evened up and we weren't under the same pressure.
"We knew they would go after us there, and they did, but having said that, it wasn't as destructive in that sense. We were under pressure but were able to perform."
Ireland: G Murphy; Horgan, B O'Driscoll (capt), D'Arcy, Trimble; O'Gara, Stringer; Horan, Flannery, Hayes; O'Callaghan, O'Connell; N Best, Wallace, Leamy.
Replacements: R Best, Young, M O'Driscoll, Gleeson, Boss, Girvan Dempsey, plus one other.
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