PARIS – It was on Thursday that Ian Foster spoke about Ireland carrying a World Cup burden. That burden will be all that much heavier for Ireland now after failing to progress past the quarter-finals yet again after falling agonisingly close in the game of the tournament.
Indeed, the world No.1 side is out after Ian Foster’s All Blacks snapped Ireland’s 17-match unbeaten streak and exacted revenge following last year’s home series defeat. By doing so, the All Blacks ensured their own record of 18, which they share with England, remained in tact.
Despite twice only holding a one-point lead, including at 25-24 when hooker Codie Taylor was sent to the sin bin for collapsing the maul as Ireland received a penalty try, the All Blacks led from start to finish and ultimately prevailed 28-24.
They will now play Michael Cheika’s Argentinians next weekend in Paris after upsetting Wales 29-17 in Marseille.
So much for a northern hemisphere semi-final shut out.
Will Jordan and Aaron Smith celebrate following the All Blacks’ epic quarter-final win over Ireland at Stade de France on October 14, 2023 in Paris. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Jordie Barrett’s ability to get under Irish replacement hooker Ronan Kelleher in the 72nd minute and deny Ireland from scoring a try proved telling.
Then, New Zealand was forced to defend 37 phases to win the Test to ensure it was a Zombie-less evening for Ireland’s faithful who had come early from the Montmartre streets in front of the Moulin Rouge to soak it all in but only left with heavy hearts and teary faces.
Inspirational second-rower Sam Whitelock, who is bidding to become the first player to win three World Cups, got on the ball to win his side a penalty in the 83rd minute to send them into a fourth straight semi-final.
Whitelock, 35, celebrated at once from the floor after Wayne Barnes awarded the lock the penalty for showing the strength to withstand Ireland’s clearance. His roars echoed throughout the stadium.
Rieko Ioane and Aaron Smith celebrate as Garry Ringrose looks dejected following the epic World Cup quarter-final at the Stade de France on October 14, 2023 in Paris. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
It continued a month of celebrations for the veteran lock, who overtook Richie McCaw to become the All Blacks’ most capped player against Italy and then ran out for his 150th Test against Uruguay in Lyon last week.
His 151st match against Ireland, played in front of 78,845 fans at the Stade de France in a nation known for its fine grapes, showed he continues to age like a fine wine. The player beside him as he made the crucial breakdown penalty was his long-time second row partner Brodie Retallick.
“Fantastic. We all knew it was going to be a monster game. We had been talking about it all week – and it was. It was a real arm wrestle,” Foster said.
“They’re a proud team, Ireland, they really hung in there. I thought we had them a couple of times but they kept making the game really tight.
“I am so proud of the way we played. Our defence, particularly in that last part, was brilliant.”
Foster credited the All Blacks’ cool heads for prevailing at the death, with Ardie Savea and captain Sam Cane dominating their backrow rivals Josh van der Flier and Peter O’Mahony. So much for Cane being a “s**t Richie McCaw”, as O’Mahony said to the All Blacks skipper last year in the heat of the battle.
“I thought we were really good. We were disciplined, we held our cool,” he said.
“I thought defensively we made some shifts and found a way of stopping their line breaks coming to us. It just became a game of patience in the end and we did it well.”
Sam Whitelock reacts following the All Blacks’ quarter-final win over Ireland at Stade de France on October 14, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
As the All Blacks celebrated their best performance under Foster and their greatest performance since the 2015 World Cup, Ireland’s hearts sunk as once.
This result will take years to get over. Will they ever get past it?
Ireland could not have been better prepared and were superb against the All Blacks. They played their part in a remarkable knockout match.
“I’m very proud of the boys, the nation, we couldn’t have done any more, it’s just fine margins,” said Ireland’s 38-year-old captain Johnny Sexton following his final rugby match.
“They sucker-punched us on a few tries and that’s what champion teams do. We knew they were a great side and we fell just short unfortunately.
“It’s been amazing. This six weeks has been a dream – this group, these fans and I’m just gutted we couldn’t do it for them.”
His coach Andy Farrell added: “I’m unbelievably proud of the group, everyone that’s been involved over the last couple of years. That was one hell of a game and somebody had to lose – unfortunately it was us tonight.”
Bundee Aki looks dejected at full-time following Ireland’s loss at Stade de France on October 14, 2023 in Paris. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Many will point to the lobsided nature of the draw, with the top four nations meeting each other in the quarter-finals.
Had they come up against any one of Argentina, Wales, England or Fiji and it seems impossible to imagine Ireland not progressing through to the final four.
But no amount of tears and finger pointing at World Rugby for doing the draw three years ago will do anything.
Ireland, too, were left frustrated by being beaten at the scrum, with loose-head prop Andrew Porter penalised on a number of occasions for not scrummaging straight.
While Farrell said they would ask World Rugby questions over the officiating, they didn’t want to take anything away from the All Blacks’ superb win nor be considered sore losers.
Sexton said “moments of brilliance” from the All Blacks was the difference between the two sides, with Richie Mo’unga’s linebreak first-phase from a lineout and pinpoint pass to Will Jordan one such moment.
After jumping out to a 13-0 lead following two early penalties and a try to Leicester Fainga’anuku after a Beauden Barrett chip and chase, Ireland clawed their way.
A Sexton penalty was quickly followed by a Bundee Aki try, as the former Chiefs midfielder stepped off his right foot to beat Rieko Ioane and Shannon Frizell before carrying two defenders over to score and cut the margin to 13-10.
A 50-22 from Jordan and try to Savea then helped the All Blacks skip further ahead.
But a deliberate knockdown from Aaron Smith after some Mack Hansen magic saw the game take another twist in the 37th minute. Moments later another former New Zealand player scored, as Jamison Gibson-Park darted off from the back of a rolling maul to score and help Ireland go into the sheds only trailing 18-17.
Ardie Savea celebrates scoring his team’s second try at Stade de France on October 14, 2023 in Paris. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Mo’unga’s stunning break centre field first-phase from a lineout and his ball to Jordan helped the All Blacks extend the margin.
Ireland finally got their rolling maul working to get themselves firmly back into the match, as they cut the margin to 25-24.
While Sexton and Jordie Barrett both missed penalties they usually would knock over, the centre’s second strike ensured the All Blacks extended the margin beyond a penalty.
Those three points proved critical, especially as Ireland attempted to bang the door down at the end without the luxury of being able to knock over a goal, as the All Blacks “held tough” and sealed a win for the ages.
piru
Roar Rookie
If you've put spaces in your comment, they will appear once it's posted - it just LOOKS like they've all disappeared when it shows you your preview. I generally go out of the page and come back and it usually has come right. I think most of the commentary is indicative of the fact that this game was by no means a gimme, and it may sound arrogant, but as New Zealanders that's not something we're used to historically (when not playing in South Africa at least)
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
TBH QED, Reiko is not a centre, his defence, passing, awareness, constantly out of position, doesn't read the play, runs away from his support, etc etc etc . ALB has all that, even though he might have slowed down a tad, he knows the roll.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Oh Dublin, are you really that naive??? Try looking at Barnes's overall record, when blowing the pea, when adjudicating all the AB test's he's been involved with? No other international Ref comes close, with the record amount of losses he's imposed. Google it!
Dublin Dave
Roar Rookie
Come off it Muzzo. EVERYBODY says that about Barnes!
Dublin Dave
Roar Rookie
Meant to say in paragraph two "..clearly released the tackled player before trying to pinch the ball"... but I suspect you knowledgeable aficionados might have guessed that.
Dublin Dave
Roar Rookie
Actually what O'Mahony really said last year was "You're a slightly less proficient Richie McCaw!" But when said quickly and in a Cork accent it can sometimes sound rude. Richie McCaw was a past master at winning those 50-50 calls at the breakdown where the ref has to decide, inter alia, whether the tackler, or defender who is "part of the tackle", has clearly released the ball before trying to pinch it from the tackled player who is trying to place it. Whitelock's tackle and steal in the last play was just such a 50-50 call and it went his way. Not such a shit Richie McCaw. so.
Dublin Dave
Roar Rookie
When they were four points behind with the clock going red? Why would they do that?
Dublin Dave
Roar Rookie
Oh please. The bookies odds that I have seen from before the match were: Ireland 8-11 New Zealand 7-5 Draw 20-1 That’s pretty damn tight. If you had put 10 bucks on New Zealand you’d have won 14. There’s saving plans that offer better returns than that. It was always going to be tight; it was tight. And at least we don’t have to read those God-Awful patronising “Pluck of the Irish” headlines. Now it’s “The big nasty Europeans were mean to us and we showed ’em” Which is progress, I suppose. I’m still inconsolable. And I’m taking it VERY personally. It was my old mum’s 91st birthday; she’s the biggest rugby fan in the family and you spoiled it for her!! Hard to forgive. ARRIBA ARGENTINA!!!!! (PS How do you put carriage returns into these comments?)
Khun Phil
Roar Rookie
I thought of you,Jacko,watching Richie play such a good game.Glad to see you saw it too. I also couldn't understand why he wasn't taking the kicks,except for the long ones. Cane also was great.He got a couple of good hits on "that Irish forward" too.
Khun Phil
Roar Rookie
Danny,I think the comments generally come from the NH that they have caught up and passed SH rugby,especially this WC with predictions of all 4 semi-finalists going to come from NH. Like you,I think it is irrelivant,especially with so many SH players now playing in Europe and Japan.NZ are probably the only true SH side.
Phil Kearns Love Child
Roar Rookie
Mate, it was one of the best games of footy you'll see. That is where this countries best footy players are, not in the Wallabies
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
Jacko, I'm not writing the ABs off at all and think they should account for the Argentinians. They had to play their best game to beat Ireland and they did. We haven't seen them play like this for the last few years. I hope they can do it again as its good to watch.
CPM
Roar Rookie
I’m not expecting my team to win. They have a hungry French team and a rabid hostile crowd who will be screaming for the guillotine with very slow motion reply that their biased broadcaster will be showing. France start with a 10 point advantage at least.
CPM
Roar Rookie
Three tough matches in as many weeks playing their best team caught up to them, or rather Sexton in the end. Perhaps they should have brought on Crowley for the second half to relieve the old war horse, but in the end the better team deservedly won.
Pablo_eire
Roar Rookie
Fairly sure Farrell mentioned the opposition when he said -"congratulations to New Zealand, I thought they played a wonderful game".
AgainAgain
Roar Rookie
Argentina are not Ireland. It is Argentina who need to step their game up, more than the AB’s. The AB’s don’t take any game as a given or will take the Argentinians lightly as they are in the way of making the final, something not many were suggesting was going to happen at the beginning of this tournament.
AgainAgain
Roar Rookie
You could argue if the Irish had taken the points rather than kicked for touch, or Jordy hadn’t missed the penalty out wide, it may have also been different. It always comes down to the small moments and in those small moments the ABs were better.
Paulie
Roar Rookie
A great win by the All Blacks but I tell you that look on Aaron Smiths face says it all...why kick out possion in the Irish half with 3 mins on the clock...man you made our boys work hard for the last 3 mins....you owe them a beer at the bar bro...
Loosey
Roar Rookie
They make you go on and on about it though.
cs
Roar Guru
Heh. Hard one to pick. Meanwhile, go Fiji!