Ireland 9-21 New Zealand
That’s what you get ahead of your station.
Ireland played with incredible heart but New Zealand’s tactics were clear – NO TRIES CONCEDED. With Beauden Barrett and Malakai Fekitoa in awesome form too, the world champions avenged their Chicago defeat of just a fortnight ago.
The All Blacks thundered into Ireland from the first whistle. It was heartless, brutal, rapid, unrelenting stuff.
Ireland were standing tall but the All Blacks were charging. Beauden Barrett brought out a tactic he would go to all night – the crossfield kick – to set up a 3 vs. 2. Malakai Fekitoa stepped inside Conor Murray and went over otherwise unopposed. Barrett converted.
Game on lads.
Next up, Robbie Henshaw was targeted for early treatment for the second game running. Sam Cane meant to lay some hurt but he surely did not mean for his high shoulder to collide with Henshaw’s temple. He splayed the Irish centre – penalty but no card.
The Kiwis were content to concede penalties rather than tries. Aaron Smith was yellow carded, not long after Johnny Sexton made it 7-3, but referee Jaco Peyper kept the cards in his pocket for the rest of the half.
There was a moment of massive controversy midway through the half as Beauden Barrett left Murray grasping at air and seemed certain to score. Sexton chased down the lost cause and his iffy swinging arm tackle looked to have prevented the score. The TMO disagreed amid howls of derision from the home fans. Again, Barrett converted.
Sexton was soon limping off, as was Sam Cane. CJ Stander then went off for a concussion test and did not return. It was one of those games.
Paddy Jackson, on for Sexton, kicked a conversion but the All Blacks were not giving up tries without a damned good fight. Half-time and one of the most break-neck halves of rugby you could ever see.
HALF-TIME
6-14@AllBlacks have brought the f**king fight. @IrishRugby hanging on but still swinging. Bench impact very important
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 19, 2016
Ireland were the ones calling the early shots as they sought to breach the Kiwi defence. It was not happening though.
By fair means, foul or high, high tackles, Ireland could not get through.
Simon Zebo came close but was tackled around the brain by Malakai Fekitoa. A yellow card followed. O’Brien should have scored right after but knocked on with the tryline beckoning.
Jackson knocked over a penalty to make it 14-9 but the All Blacks punched back harder when Fekitoa returned. Barrett was superb again as he scythed through and offloaded. There was more than a hint of a forward pass from TJ Perenara as Fekitoa dotted down but Peyper decided not to send it up for review.
Barrett converted. Chicago was a blip.
Ireland simply made too many errors to say they deserved a win out of this.
Roles reversed. Good while it lasted.
Aaron Kernan joins Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour to explain the work he’s doing for the Club Players Association. Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue talks Slaughtneil and a Dublin club advertising for hurlers gets a sore touch. Subscribe here on iTunes.
