Eire had been overwhelmed by the All Blacks of their autumn opener on a irritating night
Eire’s 19-game profitable streak on the Aviva Stadium met a deflating finish as an error-strewn and indisciplined efficiency was punished by New Zealand.
The All Blacks claimed a 23-13 victory in Dublin courtesy of six Damian McKenzie penalties and a late Will Jordan attempt, their first win within the Irish capital since 2016.
Going through one another for the primary time since their blockbuster Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Paris 13 months in the past, Friday’s conflict proved a a lot drabber affair, dominated by knock-ons and sluggish scrum set-ups.
McKenzie kicked 18 factors on the night whereas full-back Jordan scored the All Blacks’ solely attempt as Eire misplaced at house for the primary time since 2021 – and solely the second time beneath Andy Farrell.
Eire led 13-9 early within the second half due to a Josh van der Flier attempt to the boot of Jack Crowley, nevertheless it was a frustratingly poor night time for Farrell, who steps away from Eire on the finish of the month as he prepares for subsequent summer season’s British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.
Eire – Tries: Van der Flier (43). Cons: Crowley (44). Pens: Crowley (8, 40).
New Zealand – Tries: Jordan (69). Pens: McKenzie (10, 29, 38, 49, 62, 65).
Scoring sequence: 3-0, 3-3, 3-6. 3-9, 6-9, 13-9, 13-12, 13-15, 13-18, 13-23.
How Eire had been upstaged by All Blacks
Will Jordan made positive of victory for New Zealand with a late attempt
In entrance of a packed-out Lansdowne Street beneath the lights, Eire took the lead within the eighth minute via a Crowley penalty after obstruction by Jordie Barrett on Mack Hansen beneath an enormous Jamison Gibson-Park box-kick down the centre of the pitch.
The All Blacks had been degree inside three minutes, although, as after scrum-half Cortez Ratima made essentially the most of excellent fortune in sprinting ahead for a telling line-break after fumbling his personal go, McKenzie kicked via an easy penalty when Finlay Bealham was penalised for mendacity on the mistaken aspect as Ronan Kelleher tried a breakdown poach.
Finlay Bealham began at tighthead prop for Eire after Tadhg Furlong was dominated out with a hamstring harm. Mack Hansen made his first worldwide look of 2024 with No 8 Caelan Doris handed the captaincy.
New Zealand made two enforced adjustments to the group that edged previous England as Damian McKenzie and Asafe Aumua changed Beauden Barrett and Codie Taylor, who had been each dominated out as a consequence of concussion.
Thereafter, New Zealand constructed a interval of strain within the Irish half, however the house aspect’s defence proved sturdy to maintain the guests out – Gibson-Park making one excellent sort out on McKenzie amid a number of sturdy defending which pressured knock-ons and turnovers.
Gibson-Park was then caught offside, nevertheless, permitting McKenzie to kick into the nook for one of the best probability of the Take a look at to date. The All Blacks could not make it depend as a consequence of a transparent Asafo Aumua crooked lineout throw.
McKenzie did add the following factors simply forward of the half hour when a debatable scrum turnover resulted in an unsettled Eire defence conceding a penalty near their very own posts.
Damian McKenzie kicked six penalties for an 18-point haul
Eire quickly handed up their clearest alternative within the New Zealand 22 when Kelleher inadvertently kicked a ball ahead and unfastened from a ruck after a Bundee Aki carry, earlier than New Zealand made it 9-3 down the opposite finish when James Ryan was penalised for failing to roll.
An outstanding Aki carry and offload simply earlier than half-time noticed Garry Ringrose hit excessive into the pinnacle by Jordie Barrett, who was proven yellow and lucky to keep away from crimson.
With the ultimate act of the half, Crowley kicked over his second penalty to finish a scrappy, scrum-dominated 40 minutes at 9-6.
Josh van der Flier crossed early within the second half to offer Eire the lead however they failed to attain once more
All Blacks wing Mark Tele’a conceded a penalty for obstruction from the restart, however Eire did not make the prospect depend within the first occasion after Crowley kicked into the nook, because the guests batted again maul possession.
Eire’s response was implausible, nevertheless, as they pressured Sam Cane again over his personal try-line for a five-metre scrum. From the following assault, Van der Flier battled his method over to floor on the road for the opening attempt within the forty fourth minute.
Crowley transformed fantastically for a 13-9 benefit and Eire had been virtually over for a second attempt instantly after when a thundering Gibson-Park sort out pressured a turnover. New Zealand survived the onslaught when James Lowe was penalised for a neck-roll.
Bundee Aki was a vivid spark for Eire, however they did not threaten as they’ve beforehand
Hooker Aumua pressured one thing of a momentum-shifting All Blacks breakdown penalty inside moments, and McKenzie confirmed excellent composure to land a long-range effort after the ball had fallen off the tee.
That strike lowered Eire’s result in a single level, with Barrett coming back from his sin-binning quickly after and New Zealand nonetheless firmly within the contest.
McKenzie missed the prospect to regain the lead when he hit the put up with a central penalty on 57 minutes, however New Zealand did edge in entrance previous the hour mark when a scrum determination harshly went towards Eire – a scrum solely awarded as a consequence of an head harm to alternative prop Tom O’Toole.
New Zealand stretched their result in 5 factors by way of McKenzie’s boot after poor play from alternative lock Iain Henderson, who did not launch at a ruck. And that lead was quickly an insurmountable 10 factors when Jordan dived over within the nook following fast All Blacks attacking play.
Eire’s alternative fly-half Ciaran Frawley knocked on his second excessive ball beneath no strain to see extra time tick away for Eire, however Lowe then produced a surprising 50:22 from simply exterior his personal 22 to offer them hope.
Ardie Savea killed that hope useless, nevertheless, with a vital breakdown penalty in his personal 22 with six minutes to play, seeing the All Blacks seal spectacular back-to-back wins over England and Eire in Europe.
Evaluation: Alarm bells ringing after limp Eire show
A dejected James Lowe after the ultimate whistle
Sky Sports activities’ Tony Tighe:
This was worlds other than the Eire now we have been accustomed to seeing.
Management, precision, good decision-making, ruthlessness – these had been all missing as ideas of revenge for final yr’s World Cup quarter-final loss to New Zealand had been shortly forgotten.
Considerations over the set-piece had been shortly realised as Eire struggled at each scrum and lineout, whereas their lack of a kicking sport and abysmal self-discipline proved expensive on a moist Dublin night time. Chuck in a number of dealing with errors, misplaced passes and an incapability to compete with New Zealand within the air – alarm bells will likely be ringing for Farrell and his teaching workers.
However for some glorious last-ditch defending, New Zealand might have been out of sight by half-time. Barrett’s sin-binning provided Eire hope, and so they did transfer in entrance via Van der Flier’s attempt after the restart, however they didn’t bother the scoreboard once more as their assault continued to malfunction.
A primary house defeat because the 2021 was not how the IRFU would have wished to start out their a hundred and fiftieth anniversary celebrations. It’s again to the drafting board forward of Friday’s go to of a harmful Argentina.
Doris pissed off by poor self-discipline
Eire captain Caelan Doris advised Virgin One:
“That is not us, that is not one of the best efficiency we’re able to. A part of that’s positively right down to the standard of New Zealand.
“I believed we had been reactive all through. They had been firing far more photographs than we had been. That was the message at half-time – we felt he had taken loads from them and it was our flip to get momentum. We did that early on with the attempt however they got here again into it. Our self-discipline was positively a giant issue.
“Was rust an element? Probably, however that is not an excuse for us in any respect.”
Farrell: Eire gamers are gutted
Eire head coach Andy Farrell advised Virgin One:
“The gamers are gutted in there, and I am gutted for them. They prepped effectively and had been excited in regards to the sport. We supressed ourselves at occasions with too many back-to-back errors.
“Lengthy story quick, one of the best group gained.”
What’s subsequent?
Eire Autumn Nations Sequence continues towards Argentina at Allianz Stadium on Friday November 15 (kick-off 8.10pm), whereas New Zealand face France at Stade de France on November 16 (8.10pm).
