Clinical All Blacks punish error-ridden and indisciplined Ireland
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New Zealand handed down some more agony to Ireland as they ended the home side’s 19-match unbeaten run at Aviva Stadium with a clinical performance on Friday night.
The boot of fly-half Damian McKenzie did the damage for the All Blacks with six penalties as Ireland failed to find their rhythm in their opening match of the November Test window, Josh van der Flier scoring their only try on 43 minutes as Andy Farrell’s men briefly took a 13-9 with Jack Crowley’s conversion. New Zealand, who had knocked Ireland out at the World Cup quarter-final stage 13 months earlier in their most recent meeting, closed the strongest with a Will Jordan try separating the sides on 68 minutes, Ireland unable to muster a response as they slipped to their first home defeat since losing to France in February 2021.
For Scott Robertson’s tourists it was a second big win in as many weeks having been fortunate to scrape past England at Twickenham six days earlier but this win was far more convincing.
It had been a frustrating first-half for Andy Farrell’s team, and they will have felt fortunate to go in at half-time trailing only by three at 9-6 to the All Blacks, all the points coming from kicked penalties from fly-halves Jack Crowley and New Zealand’s Damian McKenzie.
The frustration came through an inability to impress their game on the visitors, with their advances undone by handling errors, a malfunctioning lineout and in one instance an excellent jackal from young All Blacks flanker Wallace Sititi on Garry Ringrose.
On the flip side, Ireland’s relief will have stemmed from some solid defensive sets as New Zealand won the first-half territory and possession battle and could only come away with those three penalties.
Scott Robertson’s side were heading towards the interval with a 9-3 lead, Crowley having opened the scoring on seven minutes. Yet the tide turned in Ireland’s favour as Bundee Aki, guilty of a couple of knock-ons, produced a trademark burst through the New Zealand line and midfield partner Ringrose was caught high by Jordie Barrett.
Barrett, who will become a Leinster player at the end of the month and Ringrose’s fellow centre, received a yellow card from referee Nic Berry following a review by the Television Match Official, who also recommended a red card review. And when Crowley ended the opening 40 with his second penalty to make it 9-6, Ireland could look forward to a first 10 minutes of the second half with a man advantage and just a three-point deficit.
Ireland started the second half on the front foot, earning a penalty which was sent to the left corner and then winning a scrum five metres out within the opening 120 seconds as they looked to make their numerical advantage count and they duly did. Captain Caelan Doris carried form the base of the scrum to the line and concerted goal-line pressure from Irish ball-carriers finally paid dividends when Josh van Flier crashed over from close range, Crowley’s conversion putting his side into a 13-9 lead.
Ireland’s tails were up and Jamison Gibson-Park, one of four backline starters who had missed the second Test win over world champions South Africa in Durban last time out four months ago, delivered a pile-driving tackle belying his diminutive stature on full-back Will Jordan to further rouse the sell-out home crowd.
Further points did not accrue, however, and McKenzie replied with an All Blacks penalty a matter of minutes later, the kick preceding Jordie Barrett’s return from the sin bin, having been cleared of a red-card offence by the off-field review.
McKenzie struck an upright from long range with his next shot at goal and Farrell started ringing the changes in attempt to push the dial back in Ireland’s favour. Ciaran Frawley, the drop-goal hero of the second Test against the Springboks, replaced Crowley on 57 minutes with Ulster forward trio Iain Henderson, Tom O’Toole and Rob Herring also thrown into the fray. Tighthead replacement O’Toole managed just two minutes before he was removed for a Head Injury Assessment, Finlay Bealham sent back on and straight into a scrum from which New Zealand claimed a penalty which allowed McKenzie to kick his side back in front at 15-13 with 20 minutes remaining.
McKenzie added another penalty kick five minutes later and the pressure was further applied when Will Jordan scored unopposed in the left corner as Ireland were caught defending the right where Mark Tele’a had attacked. It was clinical All Blacks play and it earned them a 23-13 lead.
Ireland badly needed a spark and James Lowe provided it on 72 minutes, with a booming 50-22 down the left touchline to hand the home side an attacking lineout from 18 metres out. Finally Ireland found their groove and the passes stuck through slick multi-phase play, only for Herring to be penalised in front of the posts for not releasing the ball. A frustrating end that somehow typified this opening performance of the Autumn Nations Series.
IRELAND: H Keenan; M Hansen, G Ringrose (J Osborne, 69), B Aki; J Lowe; J Crowley (C Frawley, 57), J Gibson-Park (C Murray, 73); A Porter (C Healy, 73), R Kelleher (R Herring, 57), F Bealham (T O’Toole, 57-59, Bealham for O’Toole HIA); J McCarthy (I Henderson, 57), J Ryan (P O’Mahony, 69); T Beirne, J van der Flier, C Doris – captain.
NEW ZEALAND: W Jordan; M Tele’a, R Ioane, J Barrett, C Clarke (A Lienert-Brown, 70); D McKenzie, C Ratima (C Roigard, 50); T Williams (O Tu’ungafasi, 59), A Aumua (G Bell, 79), T Lomax (P Tosi, 59); S Barrett – captain, T Vaa’i (P Tuipulotu, 57); W Sititi, S Cane (S Finau, 72 - HIA), A Savea.
Yellow card: J Barrett 39-49 Replacement not used: S Perofeta.
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)