Ireland wanted to hark back nine years, New Zealand wanted to establish the old order, and that’s just what they did.
Returning to the scene of their first ever victory over the All Blacks, Ireland, who lost Tadhg Beirne to a red card in the fourth minute, led for most of a tetchy contest but faded badly in the final quarter and fell to a third-straight defeat to New Zealand.
Andy Farrell’s side actually weathered the 20 minutes they played with 14 men and struck through Tadhg Furlong’s try and five points from the tee from Jack Crowley.
Ardie Savea replied with a New Zealand try and although Ireland led with 19 minutes left, they began to run out of gas and were made to pay with a ruthless opposition running in tries from Tamaiti Williams, Wallace Sititi and Cam Roigard in a 15-minute spell.
Ireland will feel it’s a game they could have won but the concession of 11 penalties, the loss of half a dozen lineouts and 15 turnovers in total, was never going to cut it against a New Zealand team driven to avenge the loss at this venue in 2016.
Much of the talk in the build-up to the game focussed on Ireland’s rustiness and that’s exactly how the opening passages played out.
They lost a lineout, missed a tackle, and conceded two penalties with the second resulting in a yellow card for Beirne, whose shoulder made contact with the head of Beauden Barrett.
During a lengthy delay due to a technical issue that meant referee Pierre Brousset couldn’t view replays on the big screens, New Zealand skipper Scott Barrett departed with a leg injury.
However, New Zealand couldn’t claim the subsequent lineout and were then penalised for obstruction in midfield with Crowley converting the kick from distance to give Ireland the lead.
Meanwhile, the foul player review officer, Dan Jones, decided that Beirne’s yellow was to be upgraded to a 20-minute red in what seemed like a harsh call.
But Jamison Gibson-Park’s kicking was putting his in the right areas and a move involving Crowley, Dan Sheehan and Jack Conan brought a penalty that led to the opening try.
The lineout was scrappy but carries from James Lowe, Conan and Stuart McCloskey preceded Furlong (below) barging over for a converted try.
New Zealand lost former Leinster centre Jordie Barrett to a knee injury but struck back immediately.
Garry Ringrose missed a tackle on replacement Leicester Fainga’anuku, who drew two more defenders before offloading to Will Jordan; with Ireland scrambling, New Zealand moved the ball wide quickly and Savea angled into the corner with Beauden Barrett’s kick reducing the lead to three with 20 minutes gone.
Ireland then gave up a free-kick at a scrum and a neck-roll penalty but Ryan Baird came up with the lineout steal to get Farrell’s men out of trouble.
It was fast and furious and the teams were kicking possession and contesting keenly.
Simon Parker and James Ryan both left for head injury assessments, with Ireland captain Caelan Doris (below) immediately getting involved upon his return from a long injury lay-off.
Caleb Clarke went high on Tommy O’Brien and the Kiwi winger avoided further sanction but for the fourth time, Sheehan couldn’t find his man out of touch and a frantic first half came to an end.
The pace didn’t let up after the resumption and Crowley, who missed an earlier kick, extended the lead in the 51st minute when the All Blacks infringed at the breakdown after Lowe had taken a superb catch fron another pinpoint Gibson-Park contestable.
Midway through the half it began to get scrappy with both sides conceding penalties at the scrum and dropping balls in contact.
Crowley almost set Osborne free but after the full-back dropped the pass, Ireland conceded two quick penalties and New Zealand took advantage, with replacement Williams crashing over after a tap and go.
Barrett’s conversion put the three-time world champions ahead for the first time in the 62nd minute.
O’Brien was crowded out as he chased a Crowley chip before Clarke kicked New Zealand into the Irish half.
New Zealand celebrate Cam Roigard’s late try
With New Zealand playing a penalty advantage, Ringrose shot up and missed his man, replacement Damian McKenzie cut inside Lowe outside the 22 and had Sititi in support for a run-in under the posts.
Ireland, who brought on Rónan Kelleher, Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey and Paddy McCarthy for a debut, had to chase hard now but the bodies were beginning to tire and the penalty concessions kept coming.
Having to run from deep, Lowe fumbled a poor pass and Roigard beat two men off the scrum close to the line to kill the game with three minutes to play.
Ireland return to Dublin to face Japan, Australia and South Africa in the next three weeks.
SCORERS
IRELAND
Tries: Furlong
Cons: Crowley
Pens: Crowley (2)
Red card: Beirne
NEW ZEALAND
Tries: Savea, Williams, Sititi, Roigard,
Cons : Beauden Barrett (3)
Ireland: Jamie Osborne; Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Sheehan 61), Paddy McCarthy (Porter 67), Finlay Bealham (Furlong 60), Iain Henderson (22 for Beirne 20m RC), Caelan Doris (Ryan HIA 32 to h/t, Conan 51), Craig Casey (Gibson-Park 67), Sam Prendergast (Crowley 67), Bundee Aki (McCloskey 57).
New Zealand: Will Jordan; Leroy Carter, Quinn Tupaea, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke; Beauden Barrett, Cam Roigard; Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell; Scott Barrett (capt), Fabian Holland; Simon Parker, Ardie Savea, Peter Lakai.
Replacements: Samisoni Taukei’aho (Taylor 62), Tamaiti Williams (De Groot 48), Pasilio Tosi (Newell 62), Josh Lord (Scott Barrett 3), Wallace Sititi (Parker HIA 29 to h/t, and 60), Cortez Ratima (Roigard 77), Leicester Fainga’anuku (Jordie Barrett 15), Damian McKenzie (Carter 64).
Replacements: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Pasilio Tosi, Josh Lord, Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Damian McKenzie.
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
