OPINION
New Zealand 28 Ireland 24
Gregor Paul in Paris
New Zealand’s 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.
All Blacks v Ireland: All Blacks answer moment of truth with astonishing win over Ireland - Gregor Paul
Dane Coles of New Zealand acknowledges the fans following the team's victory. Photo / Getty Images
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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, after goodness knows how many phases – probably 30 – 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.
But as New Zealand kept saying during the week, they only had to be the best team in the world on the night and they were.
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They 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.
That resilience was why they were able to cope with being shown two yellow cards. That might seem like the discipline was again not where it needed to be, but the cards aside, New Zealand’s control and composure all over the field was impressive.
Yet more impressive was the way they dug in to weather the storm when they were down to 14 men and twice they had the mental resolve to hang in there, to fight back and not let Ireland punish them in those vulnerable moments.
That was why this win was a testament to adversity. This was the moment that the All Blacks had to show that in all the pain and suffering they have endured these past four years, that they have stored things away and learned, piece by piece, how to win these big games.
This quarter-final has been the game they have been aiming at for the past 15 months. The series defeat in New Zealand to Ireland, the home loss to Argentina, the defeat in Mbombela – all these dark defeats can count for something now because there is no way the All Blacks would swap places with Ireland now.
When it mattered, the All Blacks delivered and Ireland may be the No 1 team in the world, but they are going home on Monday morning, and the team that everyone has been ignoring at this tournament: the team that no one thought was in France with a good chance of winning their fourth title, are now the one scaring the living daylights out of all those who are still standing.
No one could for a second say Ireland didn’t give everything they had. They were as good as everyone thought they were, yet the All Blacks had the means to stand up to that and there was maybe, as former coach Steve Hansen suggested in 2019, a bit of personal pain in the mix because there was fire and brimstone in the way the All Blacks approached the game.
When they were knocked out in Japan that year, it was after 80 minutes of limp, reactive rugby where they never looked remotely capable of winning.
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But this was the All Blacks at full noise. This was an All Blacks team that came to Paris to throw the kitchen sink at Ireland and be sure that whatever happened, they could at least walk off satisfied that the chamber was empty.
So too was there an intelligence to their gameplan that indicated the depth of research and analysis they have done since they arrived in France.
The lineout had picked up on where Ireland were weak and three times in the first half, the All Blacks pinched their ball.
There was no aimless kicking from deep and the first try came from a vintage Beauden Barrett kick over the oncoming defence and a brave regather – which felt like he’d been holding back for that very moment.
But the real evidence they knew what they were facing and what they were doing was the speed at which they got to the tackled ball and made sure Ireland couldn’t get their usual turnover supply.
There were periods in the first half, in the second, too, when New Zealand did an Ireland on Ireland.
They were relying on their ability to isolate the carrier and get over the ball and the turnover penalties kept coming.
There were heroes all over the place for the All Blacks at the breakdown: Ardie Savea was everywhere, Sam Cane tackled like an All Blacks captain and the three locks were all in on the turnover count and the All Blacks, so uncertain and inconsistent in the past four years, have played the game of their lives at exactly the right time.
Gregor Paul is one of New Zealand’s most respected rugby writers and columnists. He has won multiple awards for journalism and has written several books about sport.
