Ireland 16
New Zealand 9
Murray Kinsella reports from the Aviva Stadium
THE ALL BLACKS, typically, brought the game to the death with their relentless attack, but Ireland’s defence held firm yet again as the Fields of Athenry rang out memorably around Lansdowne Road.
Brodie Retallick knocked the ball on, Ireland’s players sank to their knees and Irish supporters rose to their feet, roaring into the Dublin night.
Joe Schmidt’s record against New Zealand now reads: played four, won two.
Having waited more than 111 years for their first victory over the All Blacks in 2016, Ireland now have two in two years after this sensational success in an unforgettable atmosphere in Dublin.
Jacob Stockdale’s stunning second-half try proved to be the difference between the teams, only minutes after his chip kick was blocked down by Kieran Read and very nearly could have been the difference in defeat.
The formidable and prolific 22-year-old showed his true class in scoring the only try of the game, however, as Schmidt’s side unleashed a searingly intelligent strike play from a lineout in the All Blacks’ half.
The victory was as much built on a grizzled defensive effort, with the back row of Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier and CJ Stander sublime in leading the fight.
The Munster captain was forced to limp off in the second half, having left everything on the pitch as Ireland refused to buckle under intense Kiwi pressure and denied them a try. As ever, Johnny Sexton stood up impressively in defence too.
Nights like this will make it difficult for Schmidt to leave Ireland if that’s what he does after next year’s World Cup but he will be remembered as a great of Irish rugby no matter when he departs.
Beating the All Blacks for the first time ever in Chicago was massive, but a first-ever win over the Kiwis on Irish soil felt even more special.
Ireland took three steps towards the All Blacks as the visitors performed their pre-game haka, then refused to take a step backwards in their first defensive set as van der Flier and Stander combined for a huge turnover penalty metres out from their own tryline in the fifth minute.
Ireland were more clinical with their first visit to the Kiwi 22, an intelligent Schmidt-designed power play off a lineout allowing the brilliant Garry Ringrose to send van der Flier and Keith Earls thundering down the right-hand touchline. The Kiwis were caught offside as they scrambled and Sexton made it 3-0 off the tee.
Captain Rory Best had the ball stripped from his grasp in the 16th minute, allowing the Kiwis to nudge the ball deep into Ireland’s half and catch the retreating Stockdale in the backfield. Rob Kearney was pinged for coming in the side and off his feet as he looked to prevent a turnover and Beauden Barrett levelled the scores from wide on the right.
Ireland continued to apply pressure and the Kiwis gave up penalties, a Liam Squire high tackle on Stander allowing Ireland to kick into the right corner. From there, Sam Whitelock cynically played the ball while off his feet and offside and Ireland opted to go back into the corner rather than take a shot at goal.
Stander was held up over the tryline on the resulting attack, after Healy latched on powerfully, then Ireland’s scrum powered to a penalty under the posts, Sexton slotting it after Ireland had looked to play advantage and Rob Kearney had a possible try correctly ruled out for a knock-on over the line following Sexton’s chip kick ahead.
A poor exit invited pressure back onto Ireland, however, and after Best played the ball while off his feet in a defensive ruck, Barrett popped over a 35-metre drop goal with advantage playing.
Ireland’s next attacking momentum came after Stockdale regained the restart, but Ryan Crotty and Ardie Savea combined for a turnover penalty in the Kiwi 22.
A big Stockdale aerial take and surge gave Ireland more go-forward and the ensuing 15-phase attack ended with an All Blacks defensive knock-on, from where the Ireland scrum again savaged their opposing pack for another penalty.
Ireland again opted to go into the corner and another two penalties came on the ensuing close-range attack, with captain Best opting for the three points despite Sexton’s apparent desire to go back to the corner.
Referee Wayne Barnes warned the Kiwis about the number of penalties they had conceded – 9 in the first half – but his yellow card stayed in his pocket and Ireland led 9-6 on the scoreboard at the break.
O’Mahony’s knock-on early in the second half looked to provide a dangerous platform for the Kiwis to launch from, then Stockdale very nearly gave up a try when his chip out of the backfield was blocked down by All Blacks captain Read.
All Read needed to do was gather in the bouncing ball and it was a certain try but he knocked it forward to allow Ireland to breathe a sigh of relief.
O’Mahony made up for his earlier error with a superb turnover penalty in the 46th minute and Ireland launched their stunning strike play from the resulting lineout.
Aki switched underneath Sexton as Ireland played from left to right around 40 metres out from the Kiwis tryline and then fired a pass wide to the left where Stockdale was hidden behind the lineout.
With New Zealand caught off guard and Whitelock on the ground injured, Stockdale burst forward and dinked a delightful chip over the heads of the defence, showing his pace to surge onto it and gather on the bounce, stretching out to score a try that was greeted with a deafening Dublin roar.
Sexton converted to put Ireland in control at 16-6 but they would have been frustrated to miss another chance soon after, Toner winning a five-metre lineout scrappily and replacement All Blacks hooker Dane Coles snaffling the loose ball to allow his team to kick clear.
Kearney’s aerial influence grew as the game headed towards the final quarter, though he did give up a penalty for taking out Rieko Ioane in the air just outside the New Zealand 22.
The All Blacks turned up the tempo on the 60-minute mark, finally getting the kind of ruck speed that makes them so dangerous and Barrett very nearly found right wing Ben Smith with a clever grubber wide to the right in the Ireland 22, only for O’Mahony to show his defensive quality by beating Smith to the bouncing ball and allowing Ireland to clear.
The respite didn’t last long as the All Blacks built more thunderous attacking momentum to drive back within sniffing distance of the Irish tryline but again O’Mahony had an answer, combining with Best for a brilliant turnover penalty.
It proved to be O’Mahony’s last act of a stunning performance as he limped off to be replaced by Jordi Murphy, the Munster captain’s body spent after a remarkable physical effort.
Still the All Blacks flooded back at Ireland, threatening with every carry.
And still Ireland found a way to survive, Kearney picking off Barrett’s offload 10 metres from the Irish tryline in the 65th minute, then replacement Iain Henderson gathering in a loose New Zealand lineout throw almost immediately after.
Kearney was next to depart injured as the bruising encounter took its tool before a high tackle on sub Kiwi out-half Richie Mo’unga by Sexton allowed the visitors to take a shot at goal through Barrett, which he slotted from 40 metres out.
Ireland 16-9 New Zealand read the scoreboard heading into the final 11 minutes.
Whitelock won an Irish lineout throw to give the Kiwis another attacking chance but a superb choke tackle from Sexton and Stander on replacement scrum-half TJ Perenara allowed Schmidt’s men to halt the tide once again.
Stockdale was prominent again as Ireland closed out their victory, beating Barrett’s tackle wide on the left to give them crucial territory, then helping Sexton to hammer Ben Smith into touch only metres out from the Kiwis’ tryline.
Though Ireland’s lineout was stolen by Retallick, crucial seconds were ticking by as Hansen’s side cleared to touch near the halfway line.
They came one final time in the dying seconds but Ireland muscled up to ensure a historic home win.
Ireland scorers:
Try: Jacob Stockdale
Conversion: Johnny Sexton [1 from 1]
Penalties: Johnny Sexton [2 from 2]
New Zealand scorers:
Penalties: Beauden Barrett [2 from 2]
Drop goal: Beauden Barrett
IRELAND: Rob Kearney (Jordan Larmour ’66); Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Johnny Sexton (Joey Carbery ’79), Kieran Marmion (Luke McGrath ’60); Cian Healy (Jack McGrath ’52), Rory Best (captain) (Sean Cronin ’65), Tadhg Furlong (Andrew Porter ’65); Devin Toner (Iain Henderson ’62), James Ryan; Peter O’Mahony (Jordi Murphy ’64), Josh van der Flier, CJ Stander.
NEW ZEALAND: Damian McKenzie (Richie Mo’unga ’56); Ben Smith, Jack Goodhue, Ryan Crotty (Anton Lienert-Brown ’62), Rieko Ioane; Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith (TJ Perenara ’57); Karl Tu’inukuafe (Ofa Tuungafasi ’47), Codie Taylor (Dane Coles ’57), Owen Franks (Nepo Laulala ’47); Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock; Liam Squire (Scott Barrett ’32), Ardie Savea (Matt Todd ’74), Kieran Read (captain).
Referee: Wayne Barnes [RFU].
- This article was updated at 10.01am on 18 November to reflect that Matt Todd came on in the 74th minute.
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What a team. What a game. What a result!!
@Clifford Brennan: Joe MUST be kept !!!
@Clifford Brennan: pints ?
@Jon Walters: only Jon Walters can go for pints.. Rest of the football lads are a shambles
@Jon Walters: You’d have to, in fairness.
@Jon Walters: yes please
@Nightowl: he won’t be. Unfortunately
How can the soccer lads share the pitch with these boys
@Daniel Mcnulty: @Daniel Mcnulty: they dont..they play on different nights..btw they all play to their best and that’s all you can do.
@Daniel Mcnulty: it’s not really fair to use it to have a cut off the footballers as individuals. I think as an organization though the IRFU seem to be on a mission to improve whereas John Delaney and the FAI have basically stagnated since the 90’s.
@Daniel Mcnulty: Agreed. No room for them with Bundee Aki, Van der Flier and Stander on the pitch. Great foresight by Schmidt. All that Irish celtic blood eh?
There’s always one – just enjoy the blooming result.
@Frank Reilly: do you really want to bring up players not born in Ireland playing for Ireland while discussing Irish soccer?
@Peter McGlynn: you know Van Der Flier was born in Wicklow, right?
@Frank Reilly: bill
@Frank Reilly: bollox
@Frank Reilly: You’re pathetic
@John O’Leary: Agree and some difference in Schmidt and O’Neill as managers
@Bernard Dooley: O’Neill getting €1.3million MORE of an annual salary than Schmidt. The mind boggles!
Toner and O’Mahony gave two of the greatest ever performances in an Ireland Jersey.
That was simply unbelievable. To a man 1-23 all put in huge performances. O mahony is in some form, the big moment s when he was needed he was there. Furlong, Ryan, aki, stander, ringrose were class too. Keeping them tryless is a serious marker to put down before the World Cup.
@Jim Demps: and Kearney!
@Andy: and VdF he was close to being MOTM
@Andy: and Healy
@Andy: yes. All of them. They were all top class performances.
@Jim Demps: yeah I couldn’t have picked MOTM because they were genuinely all brilliant.
@Jim Demps: yep everyone was brilliant. Even best who was getting a lot of stick
@Jim Demps: as I said earlier this week, I hope your prediction is closer than my own (to lose by 2 points) this is immense.
@William Finnegan: Why was Best getting stick?
Unreal! Not often do you see new Zealand get dominated. So proud of the lads! COYBIG.. Irish rugby is in such a good state
New Zealand v Peter o Mahoney
@Thomyk: lol but true
What a win
Wow! Just wow! We are the best rugby team in the world right now. #dominated
@John Thomas: funny you say that. If we lose one less game than them over the next 12 months we’ll go into the world cup ranked number 1 too.
@John Thomas: dont 4get canada!!they beat the mighty Germans yday who had a chap called Murphy playing for them
POM. What a man..
To all the clowns doubting Joe thats one for up your gonker. Brilliant by all 23 and the stadoum was amazing too. To apply that amount of pressure on New Zealnd and for them to struggle is incredible.
@mrbryanrussell: agreed .his player changes were masterful in their timing
@mrbryanrussell: I imagine the minority that dislike Schmidt are very small
@James: wrong! I’d say all of New Zealand don’t like him
@mrbryanrussell: don’t be running ahead of yourself no six nations at stake the spring will be the biggest test
@Ah Phooey: he will be the next NZ coach
Put your house on it
Rory Best is now the most successful captain Ireland has ever had
Brilliant day for him and the team along with the rest of us
Tá ár lá tagtha.
@Úna Quinn: Agus cinn eile fos le teacht.
Sweet suffering Jesus. Go us!!
What a game, What a Result.The All Greens!!
Players not on the pitch when we beat them in 2016 Larmour, Ringrose, Aki, Earls, POM, Ryan, Porter, Henderson, McGrath and Marmion. Two of them were unused subs but didn’t see a minutes action. That’s incredible turnover and shows how deep Ireland are these days. Schmidt had no issue going to his bench today and everyone contributed.
I can finally say what I’ve been thinking for 2 years. In 2016 we caught NZ cold and got lucky with injuries. Today we battered them. There is no doubt about it. Ireland were the better team.
I also think back to Joe Schmidt’s subtle change in training after the 2013 defeat. He introduced a 5 minute non stop lung bursting drill to make sure his players were ready for end game scenarios. And today at the death the Irish defence was swarming. They were everywhere and forced that last knock out with their intensity
Feel bad singling anyone out because they were incredible to a man. But a special shout out to Marmion and McGraths stepping in to replace Conor Murray and putting in a great 80 minutes between them. Aki and JVDF stepping up after injuries on late notice and having massive games. And for Rob Kearney, Devin Toner, CJ Stander and Peter O’Mahony silencing the doubters (at least for a few days). James Ryan incredible again. Is he now 2-0 v the All Blacks? Not many Irish players can say that but himself and Porter can.
And jesus I’d love to be in Dublin tonight. Enjoy. My neighbours here havent a clue what’s going on with all the screaming.
@Frank Reilly: I should’ve said 2-0 v New Zealand. They beat them with the u20′s too
Unbelievable game! Entering a golden age of Irish rugby!
That was nothing short of absolute warfare. Some game of rugby by the two best teams on the planet. Unbelievable from Ireland. There was lads crawling off the field from the battle. My Fitbit heart monitor was reading 110 bpm at the end.
@Nollaig Elliot: mine was reading 153!!
@BMJF:
Holy shite man, were you watching it at spin class?
A fantastic game to watch. Congratulations to everyone involved in that historic win in Dublin tonight. Irish soccer and Irish rugby. Worlds apart.
Amazing result, so proud of the team. O’Mahony was heroic!
Jacobs try was some moment!
Number 1 in the WORLD
Incredible first hour from Ireland. Maybe the best hour of rugby we’ve seen from them. We looked a bit iffy after Toner and O’Mahony went off but we deserved to hold out. To be honest I think a few referring decisions went the All Blacks way in the 2nd half, so no one can say we were lucky or had the rub of the green. We out-played them and are now probably the team to beat in world rugby. Great night.
@Ger: I think a few decisions went their way in the first half too, but for me, the decision not to card Kearney we huge, just when they were coming on strong. I had my doubts about Barnes but I think he was ok in the end. I think there was always going to be a dip in performance when such instrumental players leave the pitch, but the bench is so good at present that it’s not a capitulation as such, they rallied after and held on well
@Benson Hallahan: I was surprised that Kearney didn’t get carded for that. I’ve seen them given for less.
The greatest experience in all my 29 years on this planet. In tears and I couldn’t give a f**k!!! I love Irish rugby!!’
@Ian Verdon: fair play. Some match to be at. They were unreal.
@Ian Verdon: looks like we were right about Leavy not being a huge loss. VDF is tackle king
@Fred McHugh: He was a loss but Josh and others that came in for other injured players both before and during the match were magnificent. We have the depth now we’ve proved it today!!!
@Ian Verdon: VDF was sensational, in every aspect. Linespeed was key and he was at the front of it.
What a performance anybody who doesn’t feel absolute pride after that is dead inside. What other sport can you say that Ireland outplayed the best team in the world and now are probably the best. Fair play to the players and the coaching staff. Joe needs to stay
The Irish are the (all) Blacks of Europe!
Have Ireland ever had a better coach than Joe Schmidt? I dont think so
pleasure to watch the lads beat new Zealand today… they were the better team and class to the end… Joe smitzs crowning glory and sexton and the boys dis us proud….
YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAA!
Nz were cyncial from the very start. And then ran out if ideas as they got bossed. Well done each and everyone of the irish players to beat Nz and Barnes
Said it during the week that we did all we could to not show our hand against the Argies last Saturday.
Turned out to be even less shown than I thought. We were a completely different side today.
Ringrose, Kearney and Toner may not get the plaudits, but they’re three hugely important players in that side.
Stander, POM and Ryan were the pick of the bunch for me.
Will we stop questioning Joe’s selections now?
(Probably not, but who listens to those who do any more!)
How can the soccer lads share the pitch with these boys
All these lads are legends! O Mahony you beast!
Watch out world!! The Green Army is coming!! What a game!!!!
How can the soccer lads share the pitch with these boys
Bursting with pride, POM is unbelievable, literally went to Battle the lot of them. My poor cat ran out of room few times
Looking forward to the Minister for Sport tweeting his congratulations to Ireland on their win over the All Whites
Really really not complaining, but it should have been more!
@Mark Hayden: your not wrong
We banjoed them
Japan anyone?
Doubt us now !!
Well that was just feckin awesome
How can the soccer lads share the pitch with these boys
What a result, to beat the All Blacks, and stop them from crossing over the line. Well done lads, the whole island is proud of ye all.
How can the soccer lads share the pitch with these boys
16 players on the field for the all blacks if you include Wayne Barnes and they still couldn’t beat us.
Thought Marmion was superb! Unreal performance by all ☘️☘️☘️
@Barry Ward: thought McGrath was better….
@BMJF: good lad
Epic game, Epic Irish Team. ☘️☘️☘️
Ireland, green Kiwis
How can the soccer lads share the pitch with these boys
@Daniel Mcnulty: we didn’t hear you the 9th time, come again?
Yeah boiiiiiiiiiiiii 1-23 f*çking legends!!!!!
I’d hate to be the grounds keeper in Lansdowne tonight, will have to scrape lungs, guts, arms, legs and hearts off the field tonight, because everything was left on it
Best must better in second half, line outs were bad once toner and O’Mahony went off, every single player deserved Motm
What a game, tightest of margins. Great pressure from Ireland forcing New Zealand into making mistakes and took a great move to score the try, I’m wrecked from watching I bet the team will take a while to recover :)
Football Association of Ireland hang your head in shame. Away the lads!
Bursting with pride, POM is unbelievable, literally went to Battle the lot of them. My poor cat ran out of room few times !
Ireland whooped the all blacks
1-22 unbelievable, Carbery could have done a bit better in those 100 or so seconds, Come on dude a put your back into it
We’re better working together north and south
I might be wrong but seems like 4 years since all blacks failed to score a try in a test match! 2014 vs Australia
Yesterday was a great win but remember folks there was no silver ware at stake no six nations or World Cup. The fifteen minutes we were vulnerable the loss of carney omahoney turned it around for new zealand but for the grace of God and luck we held out. The positive is that Jacob stockdale is a world class finisher and scored an outstanding try that made all the difference. Schmidt knows the six nations is going to be extremely tough but the media would want to shut up about winning the world Cup which is along way off. Ireland know they have to play for 80 minutes to be at there best to win the grand slam again and triple crown. There is not much between any of the top six nations teams
What a bloody load of balls …
Joe , how could you even think of going ?
I was there…fkin brilliant…a night to savour…top of the pops…COYBIG
When did you ever see the Allblacks bullied
Like they were tonight NEVER what a team effort
Well done Ireland roll on World Cup
What a game.. Should we be over hyped for the world Cup.. Absolutely.. Make no mistake we won today with leavy obrien Murray Farrell henshaw etc.. You need strength and depth to win a world Cup.. We have it. BELIEVE
B4 all u knob fans get carried away dont 4get Canada bt mighty Germany 29-10 yday to get into world cup!!Jerries had chappie called Murphy on their side!! Says it all really about world status.Ireland 2nd of about 8 contenders.what a farce
As great as 78 was my southern friends, thankfully, we have something better to talk about.
O Mahony my MOTM
Ireland needs Hereos with all the doom and gloom
Well done to all the players a magnificent win.a great manager in joe Schmidt