Ireland will face New Zealand for the 14th time when they play at Lansdowne Road tomorrow, and the home team will be desperately trying to buck a trend, by winning a clash between the two countries.
They came close in 1963 when losing they lost by a single point and in the first Test in Dunedin 29 years later, in 1992, when they failed by three points. But the most celebrated moment for Irish supporters came on January 20th, 1973, at Lansdowne Road when Ireland came within millimetres of beating the men from the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Unfortunately, they were forced to settle for a draw, itself a unique result. Apart from the 1992 result, in recent years the gap between the countries has widened considerably, something which tomorrow's Irish team will be hoping to redress.
While fortune may not have favoured Ireland in several clashes, there could be no doubting the luck of the Irish that January day in 1973. Aside from the opening quarter of an hour and the closing 10 minutes, the home side were comprehensively outplayed, delighted that the visitors chose to kick away an abundance of possession, under-utilising their brilliant wingers, Grant Batty and Bryan Williams.
While St Mary's College wing Tom Grace was the Irish hero that day, out-half Barry McGann had the opportunity to become even more celebrated than his colleague. The Corkman had the opportunity to win the game with his touchline conversion attempt and for nine tenths of its journey the ball was on target.
Sadly, nature intervened and a gust of wind forced the ball off line at the last minute and it caressed the outside of the upright.
The All Blacks had taken the lead with a try from legendary scrum-half Sid Going, converted by full back Joe Karam.
McGann kicked a penalty, only for New Zealand to hit back with a second try, this time unconverted, from Alex Wyllie.
McGann's second penalty pre-empted the grandstand finale. Johnny Moloney's quick thinking snaffled possession on the blindside of a ruck and he drew Batty before releasing Grace. The St Mary's man, without checking his stride, chipped the ball over both Karam and the line, beating Burgess to the touchdown.
Edmund Van Esbeck, writing in The Irish Times of the following Monday conceded: "Grace's try was a reward for a spirit of adventure and, quite honestly, there was not much of that revealed by either side in a match that will be remembered for its exciting climax and little else."
Van Esbeck was not to know that, despite a paucity of good rugby, it would be the only occasion that Ireland did not bow before the silver fern.
Ireland had almost picked New Zealand pockets, but they could find consolation in becoming the team that stopped the New Zealanders completing a grand slam of victories over the `home' countries.
Ireland: T Kiernan (Cork Constitution, capt); T Grace (St Mary's), K Flynn (Wanderers), M Gibson (NIFC), W McMaster (Ballymena); B McGann (Cork Constitution), J Moloney (St Mary's); R McLoughlin (Blackrock), K Kennedy (London Irish), S Lynch (St Mary's), W J McBride (Ballymena), K Mays (UCD), F Slattery (Blackrock), T Moore (Highfield), J Davidson (Dungannon).
New Zealand: J Karam; B Williams, B Robertson, I Hurst, G Batty; R Burgess, S Going; K Lambert, R Norton, G Whiting, P Whiting, R MacDonald, A Wyllie, A Sutherland, I Kirkpatrick (capt).
Head To Head
1905: Dublin - New Zealand (15-0).
1924: Dublin - New Zealand (6-0).
1935: Dublin - New Zealand (17-9).
1954: Dublin - New Zealand (14-3).
1963: Dublin - New Zealand (6-5).
1973: Dublin - Drawn (10-10).
1974: Dublin - New Zealand (15-6).
1976: Wellington - New Zealand (11-3).
1978: Dublin - New Zealand (10-6).
1989: Dublin - New Zealand (23-6).
1992: Dunedin (1) - New Zealand (24-21).
1992: Wellington (2) - New Zealand (59-6).
1995: Johannesburg (WC) - New Zealand (43-19).
