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New Zealand’s resilience to overcome in-form Ireland in one of the greatest ever Rugby World Cup matches was hailed by media at home and abroad on Sunday.
The Kiwis held out for 37 phases in the final minutes of a 28-24 win that was packed with incident and sealed when their veteran lock Sam Whitelock won the critical penalty to halt Ireland’s charge.
It meant Ireland has lost an eighth straight quarter-final – having never advanced to the semis.
The match will see the retirement of Johnny Sexton, who missed a crucial kick in the second half and was near tears as he reflected on the match afterwards.
But Ireland’s failure to make 17 straight wins and a world No.1 ranking count is one part of the story – the other being the way New Zealand ground out their victory despite twice going down to 14 men.
“The moment of truth came and it tested them to their limits, probably beyond, but from the depth of their soul they dug out the most brilliant, brave, astonishing win,” wrote Gregor Paul in the New Zealand Herald.
“They were everything they wanted to be. Everything they needed to be and while they produced three magical tries, it was the last four minutes that will live long in the memory when they pulled off the most disciplined, committed defensive rearguard of the modern age.
“Ireland just kept coming at them, wave after wave of attack but the All Blacks kept tackling, kept covering and eventually … Sam Whitelock pulled off the winning turnover and the glory was New Zealand’s.
“And how they deserved it. It was an epic game, one that showed why Ireland are the number one team in the world and New Zealand didn’t crack. They were like the All Blacks of old – assured in the big moments and able to withstand all sorts of pressure.”
He said the All Blacks had “too much resolve. That’s what it came down to – resilience and belief because neither side blinked and it was the bravery of New Zealand’s defence, their calm when they had the ball and their ability to convert their half chances which won it for them in the end.”
Liam Napier, also in the NZ Herald, declared “revenge is sweet for the All Blacks as they stride one step closer to their pursuit of cathartic World Cup redemption.
“The 78,000 at Stade de France – a sea of green and pockets of black – were treated to a class contest, one of the best in World Cup history, as Ireland and the All Blacks traded punch and counter punch amid a fever-pitch atmosphere that stretched well into added time.
“On that pinnacle stage the All Blacks proved their resilience and resolve to overcome the odds.
“Ireland have achieved historic feats under Andy Farrell that includes their maiden series win in New Zealand last year. As the All Blacks exacted revenge for that low point, they served a crushing blow to ensure Ireland’s hoodoo of never progressing past a World Cup quarter-final lives on.
Ardie Savea of New Zealand celebrates scoring his team’s second try during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Quarter Final match between Ireland and New Zealand at Stade de France on October 14, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
“In the context of this tournament, the All Blacks are underdogs no more.”
Michael Aylwin, in The Observer, compared the QF records of the nations.
“The agony goes on. Ireland must wonder what they have to do to break this quarter-final curse, how long to spend as No 1 in the world, how many grand slams to win, how many victories in a row,”he wrote.
“Instead, let the record state: eight quarter-finals, eight defeats. So much came to an end. Not just the dream of a World Cup semi-final; not just the career of Johnny Sexton, who wandered the pitch in tears at the end; not just a run of 17 consecutive Test wins, only one shy of the record held by England and, yes, these blessed All Blacks.
“And for the All Blacks the record reads: nine quarter-finals, eight wins. How New Zealand have suffered themselves of late, toppled for some time from their perch as the perennial champions of all things rugby union. This may not mean a return to the top for them just yet –although they must feel a semi-final against Argentina is eminently winnable – but that familiar precision, that doggedness in defence, that nose for victory has been regained.
“No one can deny they earned it. Few teams could have held out as they did through 37 phases of Irish attack at the death, the clock long turned red, exhausted runners coming at exhausted defenders from every which angle. Nothing doing. Sam Whitelock, the most capped All Black of all time, now often supporting his teammates from the bench, swooped to win the game’s last penalty, on this his 151st appearance.
“There was heroism everywhere in a fixture so enthralling it actually seemed to subdue by the end a Stade de France packed to the gunwales with Irish and Kiwis. But there could be no arguing with result, even if the teams ran and muscled tries past each other in equal measure, three apiece.”
Will Jordan and Aaron Smith of New Zealand celebrate following the team’s victory during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Quarter Final match between Ireland and New Zealand at Stade de France on October 14, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Gavin Mairs, writing in the UK Telegraph praised the spirit of Andy Farrell’s Ireland.
“It will be of no consolation but they did not die wondering. The precision of their attack and ability to recycle in the most pressurised of situations was utterly compelling, and on several occasions appeared to exploit a weak point in the All Blacks defence,” he wrote.
“Ireland kept making metres but when it came to the white heat moment, New Zealand had the experience of Sam Whitelock to win the match-winning penalty
“It was a game so compelling and of such quality that it deserved to be the final. New Zealand’s reward is a semi-final against Argentina and they will now fancy their chances of going all the way. One wonders if Ireland will ever get such a chance again.”
Luke Baker, in the Independent, said this is “the greatest Ireland team of all time”but added: “Instead of being feted as the heroes to finally overcome that insurmountable obstacle, the Ireland players will still have to answer endless questions about the heavy burden of previous knockout failures and fans will endure at least four more years of choking jokes at their expense.”
Rúaidhrí O’Connor of the Irish Independent said Ireland was beaten by the better team.
“For another four years, the glass ceiling that hangs above Irish rugby remains,”he wrote.
“They got close enough to scratch it this time against New Zealand, but the fact they went down fighting will be little consolation to these players.
“The All Blacks needed a 37-phase defensive set in injury time to finally squeeze past them, Ireland going the length of the field into the end where Johnny Sexton had dropped his goal in 2018 but there was to be no fairytale end to the great out-half’s career as Sam Whitelock got over the ball to win it.
Bundee Aki of Ireland looks dejected at full-time following their team’s loss after the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Quarter Final match between Ireland and New Zealand at Stade de France on October 14, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
“So, the winning run ends at the worst possible moment and, in truth, they were beaten by the better team on the night.
“That will haunt them. The All Blacks came with a plan and executed brilliantly. Joe Schmidt’s finger-prints were all over it as they won the breakdown battle and lorded it in the air.
“Ireland will rue their own lack of execution. Their lineout malfunctioned again, their scrum got on the wrong side of referee Wayne Barnes, their handling let them down at crucial moments.”
Stephen Jones of the Times has seen this story before.
“Not for the first time, an outstanding rugby team fell victim to the nous and pride of the All Blacks,” wrote Jones.
“The teams hardly compared with their recent form — Ireland were way ahead, encouraging the highest hopes, and the sensational setting last evening at the Stade de France had contained vast waves of expectation that Ireland would reach the semi-final simply as a prelude.
“But they did not, and were never really established in a winning position, for all their passion and effort. New Zealand brought with them the archetypal game plan to beat Ireland, with a range of clever kicks into space, a refusal to simply hoof every kick back from whence it came, and they also had the class in their attacking game to score when it became vital.
“Ireland probably had the majority of possession, and they let nobody down, but on the day they seemed to be up against a team who were tactically and probably technically superior, and Johnny Sexton at fly half simply could not conjure a winning score as the game went on and on.”
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