New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen has said that Ireland deserve full credit for their 16-9 win over the All Blacks on Saturday.
A second-half try from Jacob Stockdale helped Ireland to their first ever win over New Zealand in Ireland as Joe Schmidt’s side held on for just their second ever win over the All Blacks.
New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen said earlier this week that this match would decide which team was the best side in world rugby and he added after the game that Ireland were now the favourites heading into next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.
“You’ll make them favourites, and if you want to make them favourites, go right ahead,” Hansen said at the post-match press conference.
“What it does do I think, and I said this at the beginning of the week, is that you have the two best sides in the world playing each other so as of now they’re the number one team in the world. I guess they are favourites.”
Hansen added that his side began to force things in the second-half and that they ultimately squandered the chances that they had.
“You start to force things a wee bit when you don’t have to,” added Hansen.
“You saw Rieko [Ioane] make a break off that line-out, the special play that we have there, could have easily just finished that off.
“Beauds has made a break and threw it away, the big fella here [Kieran Read] had a charge down and no one in front of him and we just didn’t take that one.
“That’s just the nature of the game of rugby sometimes. When you don’t take them, and you’re playing a very good rugby side, that comes back to bite you.
“Full credit to Ireland, they took their chances on the night. There’s been nights where we’ve done that and the opposition haven’t. We’ve been in their situation and tonight is their night.”
