The Irish ordeal: NZ v Ireland at Lansdowne Rd

1: November 25, 1905


All Blacks 15, Ireland 0
The first test of the Originals tour and, by the standards of the time, a thoroughly convincing win, three tries to none. Two went to famous centre Bob Deans, he of the immortal "try" against Wales a few weeks later. It was the fifth test played by the All Blacks and the second of this historic trip.

2: November 1, 1924

All Blacks 6, Ireland 0
This was the 20th match of a 38-game campaign, over 7 months. You just know the oldies looking down would be chuckling in their graves at the bleating of the modern player over demands of touring. A tough test and an enlightening 80 minutes for 19-year-old fullback George Nepia. "That game was one of the hardest of the tour," he wrote. "In fact, I give it pride of place for if ever 15 men met 15 other men on a rugby field and knocked each other so hard for so long without ever a suspicion of anything unsporting, I'd like to hear of it." It was perhaps the only game of the tour in which Nepia was outplayed. His opposite, Ernie Crawford, was an outstanding player, and Nepia later reckoned by watching Crawford in action he learnt as much about fullback play that day as any other in his career. Wing Snowy Svenson scored the only try, on his way to scoring in each of the four tests.

3: December 7, 1935

All Blacks 17, Ireland 9
Another wet day, another boggy ground, another All Black win. The backs took the honours, with tries to George Hart, Neville "Brushy" Mitchell and Charlie Oliver. This is regarded as one of the poorer-performing All Black teams to the Northern Hemisphere and the scoreline slightly flattered the winners. They lost to Wales and England on this trip, so Jack Manchester's men would have savoured one of the good days out.

4: January 9, 1954

All Blacks 14, Ireland 3
That rarest of beasts, a fine winter's day in Dublin and a convincing win, with tries to flanker Bill Clark and captain Bob Stuart. There were five new All Blacks that day. One of them was Guy Bowers, who replaced the vice-captain Laurie Haig. He was up against the great Irish first five-eighth Jack Kyle. He toured New Zealand with the 1970 Lions, but this was his only appearance for his country against the All Blacks.

5: December 7, 1963

All Blacks 6, Ireland 5
Significant not just for the fact the Irish pushed the All Blacks desperately close, but this was the first meeting of two of the great figures in each country's rugby pantheon, Colin Meads and Willie John McBride. It was also the only time they clashed for their countries. Every other meeting was between the All Blacks and the Lions, with whom McBride toured New Zealand in 1966 and 1971. They had a celebrated stoush as well, McBride dropping Pinetree in a show of determination to stand his ground, before the Irishman hit the deck at a ruck shortly after. The Irish could have won it, but a dropped pass cost a certain try and first five-eighth Mick English missed a late dropped goal. (Irrelevant, but too good to leave out: English, when quizzed one day after badly missing a tackle on English opponent Phil Horrocks-Taylor, replied: "Horrocks went left, Taylor went right and I tackled the hyphen.") Dour rugged stuff, apparently, far too much kicking, and the only All Black try coming from prolific flanker Kel Tremain.

6: January 20, 1973

Ireland 10, All Blacks 10
The great day - well, great if it's the closest you've come to ultimate, winning glory anyway. The only test between the countries not to result in an All Black win. Winger Tom Grace's late try from a kick and chase to the corner left stocky first five-eighth Barry McGann the chance to put himself in Irish folklore. But his conversion swung across the face of the posts.

7: November 23, 1974

All Blacks 15, Ireland 6
The only clash in which all the All Blacks' points were scored by one man, fullback Joe Karam. He scored the only try, converted it and kicked three penalties. This was the Irish union's centenary but not an occasion for celebration, except that the Irish invariably have a glass half-full view of life.

8: November 4, 1978

All Blacks 10, Ireland 6
The only try went to future captain Andy Dalton, scooting round the short side after a lineout to score in the left corner. This was the first match on the Grand Slam tour. A match notable for that rarity, two dropped goals by one man, Doug Bruce, which made sure of the win.

9: November 18, 1989

All Blacks 23, Ireland 6
More convincing than it looks. The All Blacks scored three tries - to John Gallagher, Wayne Shelford and Terry Wright - to none, but the game is best remembered for one that wasn't. Grant Fox was denied a first test try by a touch judge flagging Sean Fitzpatrick had stepped into the field of play before throwing into a lineout a couple of minutes earlier. Everyone in the ground could see the touch judge's flag out, except referee Sandy MacNeill. After awarding Fox's try he saw the flag, then ruled the try out. Fox was understandably grubby, but he did get his one and only test try seven months later against Scotland in Dunedin. The other feature of the match was the eyeballing of Shelford at haka time by his opposite, fiery Irish lock Willie Anderson. The haka became a significantly more aggressive event in Shelford's reign.

10: November 15, 1997

All Blacks 63, Ireland 15
The one real, fair dinkum blowout in the history of clashes between the two countries. It was 27-15 at halftime and the All Blacks took the Irish apart in the second spell. There were seven tries - with Andrew Mehrtens bagging 33 points - to two Keith Wood tries for the Irish.

11: November 17, 2001

All Blacks 40, Ireland 29
Debuts for two prominent All Blacks, Richie McCaw and Aaron Mauger. The former was outstanding, the latter scored one of the six tries. A decent old battle, the Irish leading 21-7 early in the second half. They scored three tries - for the first time at home against the All Blacks - but conceded six.