Ireland 18 New Zealand 38:The All Blacks' clinical exploitation of the opportunities they created was the arguably the most significant difference on the scoreboard; that and the place-kicking of outhalf Daniel Carter, who probably could have converted a place-kick from the southbound DART platform.
The All Blacks have reached a standard in performance to which Ireland must aspire and while there were glimpses that the home side might be capable of negotiating a large tranche of that journey, it will take a little while yet. Ireland produced cameos of sheer excellence but unlike their opponents they didn’t have the precision or ruthless execution to capitalise.
A flawed decision here, a handling error there denied them probably three excellent try-scoring chances that they could ill afford to spurn. However coach Declan Kidney will be pleased with the creativity of his side. Ireland produced a display in an attacking capacity that was light years ahead of the fare on offer in the two previous matches.
Adopting a more fluent and expansive approach, the team showed that they are capable of playing the patterns that will be rewarded in the modern game. There is still some distance to travel but at least they have embarked on the journey. Kidney will know more after this match about the individuals who are capable of broaching the requisite levels.
There were some outstanding individual performances, centres Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy were brilliant, collectively and individually; Jonathan Sexton’s place-kicking and general game management was of a high standard; Tommy Bowe ran hard while Jamie Heaslip, Cian Healy, Stephen Ferris and replacements Sean Cronin, Denis Leamy and Devin Toner all contributed positively.
In pursuing the patterns that Ireland chose the scope for mistakes was always going to be higher but to play to the level they aspire they’ll have to accept the bumps and bruises. New Zealand remain a class apart with a hard-nosed focus that is occasionally camouflaged by the sheer exuberance of the way they play the game.
They scored some cracking tries and didn’t give anything up cheaply. The home side were on the rough end of referee Marius Jonker's interpretations from time to time but to dwell on that would be counterproductive in the long term.
Ireland were taught a rather painful lesson in the opening 40 minutes, ruthlessly punished for every error, whether unforced or induced by suffocating pressure. The issue at this level of test rugby against the number one side in the world is that transgressions will be punished. Carter kicked quite beautifully from the placed ball posting four penalties and a conversion from a variety of angles and distances.
The self belief that permeates this New Zealand side is tangible because at times they were stretched to breaking point but even when they did concede points, they marched straight back up the pitch and redressed the situation on the scoreboard. The facility they possess to recycle ad nauseam and the patience they display in probing for weaknesses, using the full expanse of the pitch illustrates a team that’s very comfortable in their patterns.
They trust one another and the patterns of play. It is against this backdrop though that Ireland’s opening 40 minutes must be judged. At times they were marvellous, switching the point of attack from around the fringes to those corridors close to the respective touchlines, and they might have enjoyed an even greater reward than the one try they mustered during that period.
One a couple of occasions a couple of flawed decisions in possession compromised potentially promising attacking opportunities: Eoin Reddan will regret chipping when Tommy Bowe had half a yard on Hosea Gear on the outside. The Irish wing might not have scored but the correct option was to pass.
Ireland will also rue the indiscipline at ruck time, three times penalised for not releasing in the tackle. But the origin of those last-ditch indiscretions came from turnovers, several unforced. The home side were generally poor from re-starts and the lineout creaked once again, not helped by Rory Best’s early departure through injury. The home scrum was under pressure too.
While Ireland’s performance with the ball was appreciably superior in attacking terms to their first two outings in November, it was undermined periodically by a lack of precision: too many passes went to ground under minimal pressure. Carter and Jonathan Sexton shared four penalties between them but during that period Ireland coughed up three re-starts, two lineouts and kicked the ball away twice when it should have been kept in hand.
A great wrap-around by Reddan and O’Driscoll’s soft hand took the scrumhalf clear but he elected to chip Mils Muliaina with Bowe free outside and the New Zealand fullback blocked the kick. Ireland were becoming serial offenders at ruck time, allowing Carter to kick his third penalty but the 46,203 supporters came to life just two minutes later when Stephen Ferris crashed over for a try.
Heaslip’s pass looked suspiciously forward but it shouldn’t detract from the build-up which once again illustrated just what a dangerous side Ireland can be when they put width and pace on the game. Sexton’s converted superbly – his two previously penalty kicks were even better – and on the half hour the home side led 13-9.
However within 90 seconds Ireland had transgressed again, this time at a scrum and Carter’s metronomic accuracy continued apace. In a 10-minute spell either side of half-time New Zealand scored three tries, a homily to using the full expanse of the pitch, offloading and being physically dominant in the collisions and running sumptuous trail lines.
Demonstrating New Zealand’s total rugby patterns and the facility of backs and forwards to interchange positions, the three tries were scored by forwards: Anthony Boric, replacement Sam Whitelock and Kieran Read. Carter’s three conversions were a thing of beauty.
Suddenly finding themselves 33-13 down, the question of character arose and to the delight of the home supporters Ireland responded brilliantly. They cut down their error rate without compromising their expansive patterns and were rewarded with their second try: Kearney’s intended inside pass to Heaslip went to ground but O’Driscoll conjured a magnificent one-handed pick-up at full tilt to force his way over.
The key was no whether Ireland could sustain the momentum: the answer was yes. They maintained the intensity, continued to play their expansive patterns and but for a couple of questionable decisions close to the New Zealand line could have grabbed another couple of tries. Keith Earls made a great effort to squeeze in at the corner but the television match official correctly ruled that his arm brushed the whitewash.
The All Blacks deserve credit for the manner in which they defended; the thundered into tackles. Jonker appeared a little lenient at times when New Zealand were blatantly guilty of slowing down ball but it is a minor cavil in terms of the result.
The visitors had a final sting for their hosts, Read’s second try 33 seconds from full-time demonstrating the ruthlessness, precision, handling and lines of running that make them so easy on the eye and such a brilliant team.
Carter missed his first kick of the night, his touchline conversion that would have seen him equal Jonny Wilkinson’s world points-scoring record, drifting wide. It was a miniscule aberration in a kicking master-class.
Scoring sequence7 mins: Carter penalty, 0-3; 10: Sexton penalty, 3-3; 14: Carter penalty, 3-6; 25: Sexton penalty, 6-6; 28: Cartner penalty, 6-9; 30: Ferris try, Sexton conversion, 13-9; 35: Carter penalty, 13-12; 39: Boric try, Carter conversion, 13-19. Half-time: 13-19. 45: Read try, Carter conversion, 13-26; 48: Whitelock try, Carter conversion 13-33; 56: B O'Driscoll try, 18-33; 79: Read try, 18-38.
IRELAND:Rob Kearney (Leinster); Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster); Cian Healy (Leinster), Rory Best (Ulster), Tom Court (Ulster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster), Mick O'Driscoll (Munster), Stephen Ferris (Ulster), David Wallace (Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster).
Replacements:S Cronin (Connacht) for Best 21 mins; , K Earls (Munster) for Fitzgerald 46 mins; D Toner (Leinster) for O'Driscoll 50 mins; J Hayes (Munster) for Court 63 mins; P Stringer (Munster) for Reddan 63 mins; D Leamy (Munster) for Wallace 63 mins; R O'Gara (Munster) for Kearney 75 mins.
NEW ZEALAND:Mils Muliaina (Chiefs); Corey Jane (Hurricanes), Conrad Smith (Hurricanes), Ma'a Nonu (Hurricanes), Hosea Gear (Hurricanes); Dan Carter (Crusaders), Andy Ellis (Crusaders); Tony Woodcock (Blues), Hika Elliot (Hawkes Bay), Owen Franks (Crusaders), Anthony Boric (Blues), Tom Donnelly (Highlanders), Jerome Kaino (Blues), Richie McCaw (Crusaders), Kieran Read (Crusaders).
Replacements: S Whitelock (Crusaders) for Donnelly 38 mins; S Williams (Crusaders) for Nonu 57 mins; A Hore (Hurricanes) for Elliot 57 mins; A Mathewson (Hurricanes) for Ellis 57 mins; , S Donald (Chiefs), S Williams (Crusaders).
Referee:M Jonker (South Africa)