Alone It Stands at Sky City Theatre

Reviewer: WARREN GAMBLE

It marks one of the darkest days in All Black rugby, but last night a theatre full of New Zealanders had a good laugh at our own expense.

Irishman John Breen's play of two halves detailing Munster's 12-0 upset of the 1978 All Blacks cracked along with more pace than Stu Wilson in full flight.

Wilson, a bruised survivor of the match, was in the audience with fellow Munster victims Andy Haden and Brad Johnstone.

Any added insult that proud rugby supporters - and there were a few judging by the broad shoulders and crooked noses - may have felt at watching an Australian cast soon disappeared in a rolling maul of comic scenes.

The match was skilfully recreated on a small rectangle of green, although it is unclear if tactical flatulence in the scrum really did upset the All Black rhythm during the first half.

Woven into the game were scenes from the writer's life - he was collecting tyres for a bonfire and missed the game - and from the disbelieving fans in Limerick.

The cinematic-style scene changes had a scrum becoming a delivery suite where the wife of a fanatic supporter was giving birth.

Cut back to All Black captain Graham Mourie squirming through a throng of legs close to the tryline, ball in outstretched hand. The delivery of one and the non-delivery of the other ended the first half on a high.

In all, six actors tackled 62 roles. It's no wonder they got a sweat up and full-time applause which sounded more like a rugby than a theatre crowd.

That we were cheering Australians playing an Irish team which tamed the mighty All Blacks didn't matter. Full credit.