The humble Kiwis are here to show us how it is done.
After being a bad rugby team for about 18 months, some of the leading pundits that track the All Blacks have swooped in to give Irish players and fans lessons in humility. Ireland are in the World Cup rearview and they have been given some cheerio on the way home.
Ireland were looking to go on a 20-game winning streak that would take them all the way to World Cup glory, but fell short at 17 when New Zealand rumbled them in the last eight.
As World No.1 for over a year, coming into the tournament, having beaten all three southern hemisphere sides and won a Grand Slam, Ireland and their supporters had reason to believe history could be made in France. Ireland had also beaten New Zealand in three of their previous four Test outings.
In sweet, sweet retrospect, many of us in Ireland went full-on in backing Andy Farrell’s side to beat the three-time world champions. However, Ireland’s players spoke with nothing but respect, heading into the contest. And, barring some dismissive radio talk, it was likewise in the Irish media – confident but not cocky.
Post-match, Johnny Sexton, Andy Farrell and a vast swathe in the media – pundits and writers – gave dues to the victorious All Blacks. For the crew of The Breakdown, on Sky Sport NZ, they are not happy at post-match chat about Ireland only being ‘at 80 or 90%’ on Saturday and believe Ireland are “bad losers”.
“We didn’t say anything, and Ireland were doing all the talking”
To put the last seven years into context, New Zealand had defeated Ireland in 27 of 28 Test matches in over a century of rugby encounters, with a 10-10 draw in 1973 our crumb of comfort.
I recall being in New Zealand, in 2005, when Richie McCaw and his All Blacks travelled to Dublin for a November tilt. “The Irish will fight like dogs,” declared a confident Kiwi pundit, “but the All Blacks class will see them through.”
I remember being livid at that, only to witness Ireland lose 45-7 to one hell of a side. In their player ratings for the game, the New Zealand Herald summed up Ireland tighthead John Hayes in two words – “Cart and Horse”.
New Zealanders were used to Ireland putting up a scrap then falling away in the final 20 minutes. It was not until the 2012 game, in Christchurch, that Ireland finally earned the Kiwis’ respect. They should have won that misty night and they blew it again, 17 months later, after Joe Schmidt had taken over from Declan Kidney. It took until 2016, at the 29th time of asking, for Ireland to finally get over the line against the ABs.
Since then, heading into the quarter final, Ireland had won four of the next seven meetings. Ireland supporters knew full well that New Zealand would be primed for a World Cup, having being flaked 46-14 in 2019’s last eight clash, but they had seen enough from Andy Farrell’s side in the past two years to have confidence this could be different.
It was not, and we were beaten again. Fans cursed and marvelled about Ardie Savea, Will Jordan and the Barrett brothers. Many were picked up, in Paris, on vox pops tipping New Zealand to go all the way.
For Kirstie Stanway, host of The Breakdown, and pundits Mils Muliainia, Jeff Wilson and John Kirwan, they must feel they have seen and heard enough to stick the boot in on Ireland.
STANWAY: “There was so much chat about the All Blacks’ arrogance from Irish media, in the lead-up to this World Cup. Are the Irish bad losers? From what we’ve seen in the press, over the last 48 hours, and from some of their players as well, and the comments they’ve come out with?
KIRWAN: “Ah, yes. I’ve seen, probably from November, I noticed a shift in humility, when you and I were in Ireland together. I felt that shift… the thing we had all spoken about was how we were quiet, and didn’t say anything, and Ireland were doing all the talking. So, I think they just got a little bit ahead of themselves, as fans, which you do. Which I’m pretty sure the All Blacks have done before.”
What the panel seem to be missing out on is the fact that Irish rugby has forever held the All Blacks up as the standard to reach in Test rugby. So to go there, last year, and beat them in possibly the last ever three-Test series meant so much to the Ireland players, coaches and fans. It imbued many with a sense of belief, and know we are being collectively criticised because a few loud mouths dismissively write off Sam Cane and Ian Foster? The same Sam Cane and Ian Foster that the Kiwi media and fans wanted shot of, last year.
Wilson himself says he has often been accused over being over-confident about New Zealand but that’s because, “I always believe in that All Black jersey”. Must be great to get a free pass like that…
“Is that called an unconscious bias, maybe?” joked Kirwan, who at least showed some perspective. Wilson was undeterred, proclaiming that Ireland [their players and coaches] were ‘talking themselves u[‘ so much because they were masking doubts under the surface.
John Kirwan, who won a World Cup with New Zealand in 1987, believes Ireland have gone from having ‘a monkey to a gorilla on their back’ when it comes to their history with this tournament.
He did not name names, as he said it would not be fair, before stating that a few of Ireland’s top players did not reach their usual levels.
We would agree with that, and you can see that in our ratings, and there is nothing “bad loser” in expressing that. Ireland were not at their best, but that is because the All Blacks never allowed them to be.
MIKE ROSS & JOHNE MURPHY ON HOUSE OF RUGBY
Related articles:
- Johnny Sexton fumes at All Blacks centre Rieko Ioane in post-match exchange
- “You cannot do that” – Matt Williams on roughest reason Ireland lost to the All Blacks
- Well-intentioned press conference question draws emotional Johnny Sexton response
- Rob Kearney in stitches as Peter O’Mahony delivers emphatic post-match interview
