All Blacks: Try-fest makes up for Irish knees-up

The first of Sam Whitelock's two debut test tries against Ireland finds favour with All Black captain Richie McCaw. Photo / Getty Images

The Irish love a knees-up.

While their supporters delivered any amount of revelry in New Plymouth, their fly-by rugby team laid a lot more in their own nest.

Over-excited, over-zealous, overseas? Who knows what caused No 8 Jamie Heaslip's blown fuse as his attack on Richie McCaw ended Irish hopes of a win against the All Blacks.

Referee Wayne Barnes got it dead right, as he did when he sent Ronan O'Gara to the sinbin for a professional foul soon after. Barnes got a slug of disapproval when he was announced to the crowd but when he reached for the red card in the 15th minute, you could have added his name to the Queen's Birthday Honours.

It was sod's law, of course, that the test programme carried a story in praise of the Irish No 8, suggesting he should be a future national captain.

When Heaslip's idiotic knee action saw him marched into infamy and a judicial hearing, any Irish hopes of a victory disappeared.

His brain-fade short-changed his teammates and the boisterous 25,064 crowd although the spectators were at least treated to nine All Black tries and four from the visitors.

It was four tries each in the second spell, but this was not England in horrific conditions in Wellington in 2003, not even close.

Once Heaslip was marched, the test became a training run for the All Blacks. Not that they treated it that way. Not till the second half, anyway.

They led 10-0 before Heaslip went to the showers, added another try before O'Gara's botch-up, then a further 21 points while he was sitting on the sideline at Yarrow Stadium.

It may have been the best domestic start for the All Blacks since Graham Henry took over seven years ago.

"It was an outstanding start but we didn't look after the ball in the tackle in the second half," he said.

"We lost our intensity. There was a lot more running and I think some of the players ran out of gas in the last 20 minutes because they hadn't played for three weeks."

It seemed an unusual excuse from the coach, although some of the All Blacks' structure clearly disappeared as they emptied their bench.

Israel Dagg, Benson Stanley and Ben Franks started and were all strong in their debuts.

Victor Vito replaced a tender Jerome Kaino before halftime, Sam Whitelock was on soon after the break for the first of his two tries and Aaron Cruden got the last quarter.

They were all meaningful tastes of test rugby rather than the pitiful few minutes often given to reserves.

McCaw was content with the first half and the final victory, but said there were a few flaws to correct before this week's test with Wales in Dunedin.