“Most All Blacks have a keen sense of history. ‘Not on my watch’ was a phrase we had as players, and I’m sure that extends to the current crop.”
Ian Jones played four Tests against Ireland. He won them all. As a Kiwi, that record is not unusual.
The ‘current crop’ were world champions. Seven of New Zealand’s matchday 23 contained double World Cup winners. They had just set a record by winning 18 Test matches in a row. Ireland were No.19 if they could beat them for the 29th time in 30 matches.
Ahead of the Saturday game at Soldier Field, a Kiwi reporter confused Jack McGrath with captain Rory Best. The Irish loosehead handled it like a champ.
Jack McGrath: “I’ve been called worse, let’s just say that. It’s not too bad; I don’t mind that. The calibre of the man, it’s not too bad to be compared to him.”
Joe Schmidt opted to leave Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien back in Ireland and would start the All Blacks contest with a back row of CJ Stander, Jordi Murpy and Jamie Heaslip. Josh van der Flier was on the bench. Why? The question had to be asked.
Joe Schmidt: “It’s always tempting to bring guys in but we just feel that the pace of this game is going to be very, very quick. We decided that we just needed those players that were sufficiently match-fit to try and do the job for us.”
Luckily enough, we had Stander around to calm our nerves.
Ireland were ready, he insisted, and he almost had us convinced.
CJ Stander: “We have to kick it up another gear and our bench has to come on and really be on their game. It’s worth saying we have to play 90 minutes because we really have to.”
Ireland arrived at Soldier Field around 1pm and got a feel for their surroundings. The pitch was extended beyond the narrow confines where the Chicago Bears had trumped Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday night.
The city was nursing a collective hangover after the Chicago Cubs clinched a first World Series in 108 years. Still, the sun shone and Kiwis, Irish and American were taking the ‘hair of the dog’ expression to impressive extremes.
As the game drew near, Schmidt called fullback Rob Kearney aside for some final words of advice and instruction.
Rob Kearney: “Joe pulled me aside and said, ‘You need a big one today.’ It wasn’t ideal, but it was good…
“We’ve been together a long time now from when he first came to Leinster. So maybe that was the one-liner that I need to put the fear of God into me.”
Before kick-off would come the haka. As TJ Perenara whipped up a Kapa o Pango it became apparent that Ireland were lining up in an altogether different way. The matchday 23 spread out to form a figure of ‘8’ in memory of the late Munster and Ireland legend Anthony Foley. It was a memorable, moving moment.
Conor Murray: “At first the crowd didn’t know what it was but, slowly, you could hear recognition spreading through them.
“Johnny Sexton and Joe Schmidt had said: ‘Let’s get the Munster lads at the front of the connection.’
“I was at one front with CJ Stander at the other. I didn’t have anyone around me and I was looking at the haka and going, ‘Aaargh! You’re on your own here.’ But you could sense the crowd feeling it. It gave us a big lift right just before we went out and laid it all on the line. It pushed us even further.”
Push them it definitely did. Ireland went 3-0 ahead before conceding an early try after panic gripped their backline. Beauden Barrett missed a simple conversion and it got better from there. With 16 minutes on the clock, Ireland were 15-5 ahead after excellent tries from Murphy and Stander.
Barrett tagged three points back before disaster struck for Ireland – Murphy’s knee buckled as he sought to pressurise the All Blacks’ backline. He knew as soon as he crumpled to the ground that his game was over. Van der Flier was on for the final 55 minutes.
Ireland had spotted how All Blacks scrum-half Aaron Smith was often left on his own to guard sniping runs around the ruck. Murray exaggerated a couple of his passes before he made the dummy that sold Smith down the river. He was away and would not be stopped.
Sexton converted for 25-8 and Tadhg Furlong teamed up with Jack McGrath for a crunching turnover that ended the half emphatically. One time was well on top.
Josh van der Flier: “We just said stick to our game-plan. A lot of the lads were in a similar situations a few years back [2013] and they said stick to our drills and keep working hard for each other.”
The first score of the second half was crucial. It went to Ireland it was was stunningly simple in its execution. Forward pressure, overlap created, Johnny Sexton to Zebo and Ireland had a whopper lead.
30-8
What???
"It's still the All Blacks" warns @BrianODriscoll pic.twitter.com/SVVbkNKpHF
— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) November 5, 2016
Thanks for the warning Brian.
Back they came and back they roared. Perenara and a cracker from Ben Smith in the corner. With Sexton injured, Murray stepped up – the stones on him – and smacked over a penalty to make it 33-22. The All Blacks gut-punched with a Scott Barrett try as Kearney lost his footing. Strong, clear words were needed.
Rory Best: “I was a little bit nervous at 33-29. You get nervous about that for sure but I just thought that young Joey Carbery came in and what a massive stage to have to enter on your Test display.
CJ Stander: “We work as a group, we work hard, we know our detail. We do everything early in the week so when we get to a match we know we can just be physical. You know the guy next to you behind you and in front of you will have your back and you will have his. We don’t play as a few boys individuals, we go out there as a team.
“That’s what dragged us through in those last 20 minutes.”
Ireland knew that holding on for holding out was not going to do it. Players that had been stung by this New Zealand team so many times before stood up and put the game on their shoulders. Andrew Trimble was one of them. Seven minutes to go and he made a huge hit on flanker Liam Squire to force a turnover.
Ireland would beat the All Blacks at their own game. They would not be going through the phases and set-pieces to wind down the clock. ‘Very, very quick’ – that is what Schmidt had selected this squad for and they turned up the heat in the closing stages.
Irish scrum – Jared Payne draws men in before taking them out with a skip pass – Zebo chipped intelligently up the line – Murray and Trimble chased like demons to win a 5-metre scrum – Jamie Heaslip too over and found Robbie Henshaw with a sumptuous reverse pass – TRY.
Conor Murray: ‘I said [to Robbie], ‘Man, that’s it. It’s the 78th minute. They’re not going to score a try, convert it and score again.’ He was like: ‘You’re right, you’re right.’ We knew then we’d have a good night.”
Carbery kicked the conversion to make it 40-29. It was the 21-year-old’s first senior game and he had just beaten the All Blacks. 111 years? What’s the fuss?
Joey Carbery: “The dressing room is ecstatic, everyone was over the moon and it is a great atmosphere to be in and everyone is just so happy.”
Furlong had a game to remember. Turnovers, choke tackles, huge hits, a 40-metre chase and pounce on Ben Smith, strong scrummaging and big carries. He was one of three Ireland players [Murray and Heaslip being the others] that we gave a perfect 10/10 rating.
It is only fitting, then, that we leave the final words to the big man from Wexford.
Tadhg Furlong: “It is weird to be in the team, to beat the All-Blacks for the first time, it is overwhelming in some ways, just the joy, the pride. It’s just amazing to be a part of it.
“The atmosphere of the crowd, looking up into those high-rise stands, it seemed never ending, it was incredible. The fans, their support, they lifted us when we needed them to. Being in that dressing room, we’re enjoying ourselves in each other’s country.
“We emptied the tank. All week we have been building up to do something that has never been done before. It is incredible to be part of that. I suppose I stepped pretty late into a team that has been building for a long time. It is just such a proud moment.
“When we scored that last try, I didn’t know what to do, to jump up and down, to cry, I just didn’t know what to do. In a weird way, it takes hold of you. Oh by God, what a performance from the lads, it is just amazing to be part of it.”
