“We were lucky enough to hold them out. Jordie’s a big fella!”
10 minutes into the game, the score still at 0-0, and New Zealand were looking to pull out one of their usual aces – an early try. Garry Ringrose and Andrew Conway had other ideas.
An All Blacks set-play was designed to take a quick lineout throw before Ireland could fully set and for Beauden Barrett to chip a kick over to Will Jordan. With Ireland left winger James Lowe up in a 13-2 defensive set, fullback Hugo Keenan needed to hare over to cover Jordan.
The Cusaders star took the ball at full tilt and cut inside the scrambling Keenan. Luckily for Ireland, Keenan had done enough to buy them a crucial beat as Jordan stepped inside. Lowe covered by wrangling Jordan but he still got his pass away to a hurtling Jordie Barrett.
How the All Blacks fullback did not score, only Andrew Conway and Garry Ringrose could tell you. All the know is, it damn well hurt.
On the latest House of Rugby URC [LISTEN from 6:45 below] Leinster and Argentina legend Felipe Contepomi spoke with hosts Jason Hennessy, Greg O’Shea and Megan Williams about Ireland’s defence – inspired by Conway and Ringrose – held firm at crucial moments.
Garry Ringrose talks us through that Barrett tackle
Felipe Contepomi, as Leinster backs coach, works closely with Garry Ringrose and he was not surprised at the try-saving tackle on Jordie Barrett. He praised Andrew Conway, too, for blitzing over from the right wing to help save the day.
“Yeah, we were lucky enough to hold them out. Jordie’s a big fella,” Ringrose tells us.
Garry Ringrose of Ireland receives treatment for a head injury during the match against New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium. (Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile)“We definitely needed all of myself and Bomber [Conway] to hold him out. Thankfully, he worked hard to get from the other side of the pitch to get in front and make that tackle as well. It was pretty incredible by him.
“But I got a rattle. I could feel a little bit of blood trickle down so I thought, ‘Ah, I might have to get a few stitches’. I just had that moment on the ground.
“As I was getting back up, I heard a roar. In my head, I was thinking, ‘That’s too loud for them to be scoring a try. It must be a good thing!’ Ronán [Kelleher] had intercepted the ball. Then there was a break in play, so I took a knee and the doc was in to stick a bit of gauze on it to stop the bleeding.”
Ringrose on his partnership with Bundee Aki
Against Japan and New Zealand, Ireland head coach Andy Farrell with with the Garry Ringrose midfield partnership with Bundee Aki. Through his time at the helm, and Joe Schmidt’s six years in charge, the two men are the most paired Irish midfield.
Ringrose is effusive in his praise for the Connacht star, who had another stormer in the 29-20 win over the All Blacks. He comments:
Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki pictured during Ireland’s win over New Zealand. (Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile)“From the outset, we’re all challenged to be cohesive, no matter what the combination is. Myself and Robbie Henshaw have both suffered on the injury front, then you look at Stu McCloskey, who did unbelievably well over the summer, and then you’ve James Hume as well. So we’re all challenged, every day, to be cohesive and to be able to play with each other.
“Playing with Bundee, he offers me a load of support during the week. The amount of time and effort he puts into analysis and picking up little things from training – how he improves and how he challenges me – is something extra as well.
“As for how he plays out there. He gets gain-line, maybe even better than I do. If he has traffic, he has that ability, too, to make that outside break and put guys into space. I’m trying to continue to learn off him, as much as possible. He’s been helping me loads, with me being out of the squad [injured] a couple of times. It’s nice to have his support.”
Ringrose is hoping to be involved against Argentina on Sunday [the team is announced on Friday] but is not expecting any post-match calls to top the one the entire squad got from President of the USA, Joe Biden after they beat the All Blacks.
“We got a letter from him on the day before, wishing us well. Then we were in the team room in The Shelbourne, the whole side spending a bit of time together, and he came through on Face-Time, through Shuckers’ [IRFU media officer David O Siochain] phone. It was a bit of craic at the time, as you can imagine.
“Surreal! Joe Biden [calling us] pretty much tops it!”
After the highs of the past two emphatic victories, Ringrose is determined to finish the Test year with another against a battle-hardened Pumas side, this weekend.
WATCH THAT FULL EPISODE HERE:
