Inspired Ireland no match for All Blacks

20 Nov 2010

MARK KEOHANE writes that Ireland played their best match of the year and lost by 20 points against the All Blacks in Dublin.

It says everything about the class of the All Blacks that they could play in patches, be caned at the breakdown by South African referee Marius Jonker and still win 38-18.

Conditions at the new Aviva Stadium were ideal to expansive play and both teams were positive with the ball in hand, but Ireland used every bit of Jonker goodwill at the breakdown. Joncker allowed Ireland to do what they pleased at the breakdown and was more ruthless when dealing with Richie McCaw and his mates.

Despite the kindness of Jonker, who is to the All Blacks what Stuart Dickinson is to the Springboks, the visitors produced 20 powerful minutes to turn a 13-9 deficit into a 33-13 advantage.

Kieran Read was again the pick of the All Blacks forwards with Dan Carter and Hosea Gear ever present in everything good produced by the All Black backs.

Ireland’s defence in the first 30 minutes was efficient as New Zealand played too laterally. The early search for space, through width, was pleasant on the eye but had little impact against an organised home team defence. It also helped that Ireland were allowed to slow the ball down with such regularity, but it is nothing the All Blacks wouldn’t have done had Jonker allowed them the same luxury.

Ireland will feel they earned the respect of the All Blacks and the crowd, but to be a serious player a side has to earn victories. Respect is one thing. Winning is quite another.

Ireland scored the opening try on 30 minutes through No 8 Jamie Heaslip, who benefitted from a forward pass, but it was in keeping with Joncker’s kindness, which extended to Ireland collapsing the scrum four times in succession on their own line and escaping with a warning, despite being penalised four successive times.

The All Blacks knew they would be done no favours by Joncker and they have always been aware of Ireland’s attacking ability. The hosts asked questions that were not always answered by the All Blacks defence, but the All Black attack was more lethal in the minutes that mattered before halftime and especially in the 10 minutes after half-time when the All Blacks scored 24 unanswered points.

Carter, with three conversions and four penalties, finished within two points of Jonny Wilkinson’s record as the game’s leading points scorer and his 80th minute failed conversion was his first miss of the night and his first miss in 20 attempts on the Grand Slam tour.


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