All Blacks expose Ireland's weakest link

Ronan O'Gara (r) plays for Munster in Ireland. Phil Walter / Getty Images.

It took nearly 160 minutes but the All Blacks finally exposed Ireland rugby's equivalent to a turnstile when it mattered most last night.

First five-eighth Luke McAlister charged across for the decisive late try in the 27-17 win in the second test here at Eden Park, bumping aside Irish opposite Ronan O'Gara on the way.

O'Gara is by some distance the least effective defender in a team who tackled themselves to a standstill in both tests.

However, a strong All Blacks scrum and precise pass from halfback Byron Kelleher put McAlister out of reach of the marauding Irish loose forwards and presented him with a one-on-one with O'Gara.

"The forwards covered him up pretty well (throughout the series) but I managed to find him when I scored that try," McAlister said.

"I told (second five-eighth) Aaron Mauger I was going to have a crack at him and he said to go for it."

O'Gara was exposed in the first minute of the first test when fullback Mils Muliaina burst through him to set up a long-range try by winger Doug Howlett but the Irish No 10 kept himself mostly out of harm's way until the closing stages last night.

The three All Blacks tries last night were far from classics because of the cold, wet conditions.

But one of them was a heart-warmer, even if it was controversial.

Lock Chris Jack appeared to lose the ball forward before Southland prop Clarke Dermody pounced on it and dived 1m to score his first test try in just his second test.

Dermody claimed ignorance of Jack's spill.

"I didn't see that. The ball just spat out and I was cat-like and pounced on it. And the rest was history," he smiled.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry admitted it was "highly probable" Jack had knocked on while Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll had firmer thoughts about the try which put New Zealand 17-0 ahead.

He immediately questioned referee Jonathan Kaplan, who told him he had ruled the ball went backwards.

The controversy was lost on Dermody. His thoughts turned instead to father Gus, who hosted a big crowd last night at the Woodlands pub he runs near Invercargill.

"The old man was putting on a tab if I got over. I don't know how much he got off the TAB to cover it but I would say it would be a good night down there."

- NZPA