Ireland laid down a massive marker ahead of next year’s World Cup by beating holders New Zealand for just the second time with a compelling 16-9 victory in a clash of the world’s top two teams.
Just two years after claiming an All Black scalp for the first time in a famous day in Chicago, the champions of the northern hemisphere dominated the best the south has to offer with the 12th and most important try of winger Jacob Stockdale’s young, 14-Test career proving decisive.
The win, Ireland’s 17th in their last 18 tests, was also their first over the All Blacks at home and set expectations to feverish levels at an electric Aviva Stadium for a team that has never before gone beyond a World Cup quarter final.
“They’re the best team in world and we had to play the best game of this squad’s tenure, man-of-the-match Peter O’Mahoney said.
“The boys showed up everywhere, tackles that shouldn’t have been made, plays that shouldn’t have been made.
“It’s a big piece of history for us and one we wanted to tick off in Ireland.”
The game began with the same ferocious physicality as the sides’ last meeting two years ago when the world champions gained revenge for Chicago with a bruising win in Dublin.
The hosts came out on top from the off, first stubbornly keeping their opponents out at their own end led by a near-possessed O’Mahony before going through the phases at the other to hand Johnny Sexton an easy opening penalty.
It was telling that Beauden Barrett opted successfully for the posts rather than the corner with his first opportunity in range, an option Sexton turned down almost immediately after the visitors gave away their sixth penalty in just over 20 minutes.
It almost paid off with No.8 CJ Stander first held up over the line and when Ireland bulldozed through the resulting scrum, fullback Rob Kearney should have touched down but instead knocked on Sexton’s opportunistic chip over the top.
Barrett quickly levelled the scoring again, this time with an effortless drop goal from distance, but Ireland continued to put the pressure on with 22-year-old lock James Ryan once more hugely impressive all over the park.
Rattled, New Zealand’s penalty count inched towards double figures as another Sexton penalty gave Ireland a 9-6 halftime lead, a poor return for their dominance.
The game inevitably opened up and New Zealand’s backline became more of a feature but Ireland, saved again by O’Mahony before he limped off to a hero’s ovation on the hour, survived the onslaught.
Ireland and New Zealand have met 31 times since their first match in 1905, with the All Blacks recording 28 wins to Ireland’s brace of victories.
rebel
Roar Guru
If England lose to Aus they drop to 6th and Aus move to 5th. Not sure many will agree with the accuracy of that.
The peoblem goes further than that. Compare NZ opponents to Ireland opponents for , lets say last twenty tests.
Jerry
Guest
The system is designed to reflect currrent form, sure - but I think it goes a bit far with its algorithm in doing this. As an example, pulling the current rankings from WR on their website (which were postedd prior to the Irish test) the All Blacks playing at home would get zero points for a win against everyone other than the 2nd and 3rd ranked sides in the world - they would get no points for beating SA, England, France, Scotland, Argentina or Australia.
Jacko
Guest
A bit early tho RT
piru
Roar Rookie
I don't think it was actually that open this far out before 2007 either.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Er yeah. That's how a ranking system works. You get more credit for beating a higher ranked team. The higher ranked you are, the less credit you get and the harder it is to get that credit. Seems to me the ranking system also works in part as a form guide. There's no point letting a team build up a massive gap because they could do so and then have a form hiatus or a mass retirement like England post '03, lose a load of games but still stay ranked first - which would be a nonsense. Having said that, I don't think the current still healthy points gap reflects where NZ are right now. If you take their last seven games they are 5-2 with two of those 5 wins being a bit of a scrape against lowly ranked opposition and the one against England featured a practically full strength NZ playing a scratch one. Hansen declared before the Irish game it was two teams deciding who was best in the world. Even with two Lions missing, I think we saw who that currently is, but that's not what the table says. It's never going to be perfect but importantly it's the same rules for everyone Jerry.
Ralph
Roar Guru
Yes, blind side an issue. But no easy fix I can see.
Ralph
Roar Guru
Although that box kick at 78 and a half minutes had me shaking my head as a piece of decision making. Didn't costs anything in the end though. Congrats.
Ralph
Roar Guru
Yes, up the middle is a good possibility. There is always space on a rugby field.
Ralph
Roar Guru
It's way too late to be changing half backs. Read is building back after major surgery so I'm sure improvement will come. All number tens struggle when their pack isn't getting across the gain line and when breakdowns are slow and disrupted. The solution is to fix the forward game not dump your number 10. We still have not replaced Kaino, but with one cup cycle that's just the way it is. Anyone new brought in now would be hugely under done. You still need experience to win a RWC. Cane is a big loss. No easy fixes here though and almost all teams will be hoping against key player injuries going into the World Cup. A few teams are existing on a knife edge (Foley, De Klerk). Defence needs a good looking at, but as England showed defence is the fastest of all things to bring in. Attack is much harder to develop.
Ralph
Roar Guru
Don't worry Jerry, the points system is just another way to create excitement and drama. Doesn't mean anything when the next game rolls around.
Ralph
Roar Guru
Yes, that box kick was nuts wasn't it. Terrible decision making there, but didn't cost anything in this instance.
Ralph
Roar Guru
I agree Neil. But these tests have been of immense value to NZ I think. NZ will be hard to beat next year, as will England, Ireland, South Africa and maybe Australia (possibly not). Even France could shock in one match.
Ralph
Roar Guru
I don't think NZ were second best at Twickenham at all. They dismantled the English set piece to work their way from behind in heavy conditions. The English choked. Home town advantage, weather that favoured defence, well ahead in on the scoreboard - but they failed to close it out.
piru
Roar Rookie
Some wag got on my FB feed to gloat that the Irish had now won twice against in NZ in the last three years. I responded that they had also won twice against NZ in the last hundred years
piru
Roar Rookie
Whenever there's a great test lately, as often as not it's under Barnes My favourite ref atm
piru
Roar Rookie
Let's hope he is able to explain to them how offsides work!
Jerry
Guest
The weakness in the ranking system is that if a team is miles ahead of the pack (or most of them) they get less credit for wins. I remember a few years ago, NZ were so far ahead that they couldn't get any points for a home win against all but one or two sides.
jacko
Guest
Wasnt Farrell the defensive coach for England at the 2015 WC? Out before the 1/4s...or are we only allowed to count successes...
Jacko
Guest
The RWC is not played in 2018 either