The all-too-brief conversation that broke Ireland’s hearts.
Ireland went in 14-6 down at half-time but they soon got a rocket up them from Joe Schmidt and Andy Farrell. They were still in this game.
The All Blacks had played the first 40 minutes at a ferocious pace but there was surely no way they could keep it up in the second half. Surely?
Ireland came out and tore into their guests. They put together phases and worked their way deep into enemy territory. Malakai Fekitoa was sin-binned for tackling Simon Zebo around the ears and, soon after, Paddy Jackson made it 14-9.
Ireland were right back in it. Cian Healy and Iain Henderson were summoned from the bench.
Then the All Blacks parried back. 15 minutes on the clock and a score in the game, Beauden Barrett ghosted between two green jerseys and dished out a lovely offload to TJ Perenara. The replacement scrumhalf rode a tackle but Andrew Trimble was closing him down.
Perenara ducked around the winger and got his pass away but, for all money, it had a touch of the forward passes about it.
Fekitoa wasn’t hanging around. He raced clear and dotted down to make it 19-9. As Barrett was lining up his conversion, Rory Best approached him and asked if there was any way Jaco Peyper could ask his the video official to review the pass. Peyper tried to wave him away.
Jaco Peyper: It’s okay Rory. It’s okay.
Rory Best: “There’s too much at stake”
Jaco Peyper: “It’s okay.”
End of conversation. Barrett added the extras and Ireland were 12 points behind.
After the match, which Ireland lost 21-9, Best expressed his frustrations that neither Peyper nor his team of officials thought the pass deserved a second look.
Replays of the pass were there for all to see on the big screen.
“He has people upstairs that are watching that and he has to trust them as well. We’ll leave that to the assessors,” he said.
The assessors will have a lot to assess after the performance of Peyper and his officials.
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.
