JAMES LOWE FEELS redeemed. After being criticized so publicly and so often for his defensive shortcomings, he answered them today.

In particular, one moment stood out above all others. His 72^nd minute tackle on Rieko Ioane changed the game. New Zealand were on their way to the tryline; and probably on their way to victory until Lowe intervened. In many ways that moment was as decisive as any in Ireland’s win.

“It was awesome to get the result,” Lowe said afterwards. “We backed up the way we played against Japan. It was good rugby, the way the game should be played. We put in a performance against the world’s best and came out on top. It’s sinking in. 

“For me, it is one of the biggest moments of my career. You don’t get to play against New Zealand very often. I have never played them (until now). I’ll cherish the win. Unfortunately we have Argentina next week and it’s a whole new challenge.”

But Ireland are meeting every challenge placed in front of them, going on a seven-game winning run.

Lowe said: “With every game we have grown as a team. We are not going to take a backwards step now. The amount of trust that we have throughout this team, the boys performing at the highest level, we can’t take a backward step. Next week will be a whole new ball game and I cannot wait for it.”

On his tackle on Ioane, Lowe said: “I saw we were in trouble. I thought shit, we are under the pump here. And then I just tried to anticipate where I thought the ball was going to be. I got myself into a better position, made the tackle and was able to wrap him up.”

Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

In the context of the criticism he has received, this was a seminal moment.  

“Mate, it was huge. What you bollixes (the Press) always get on to me about, I’ve been working on for the last six months. Hopefully you can abuse me for something else.  

“Making that tackle felt better than the try, 100 per cent. That’s what I told you I’d been working on, to be able to show it on the biggest stage, [80] minutes of rugby, that’s what it’s about.  

“The atmosphere here was absolutely amazing, the whole cliché of the 16^th man sort of thing, it was electric from start to finish, when we needed a lift they were there. We could feel it from the start, we felt it at the end. I’m ecstatic; I have never played in something like that before.

“We’re playing the way rugby should be played. Tight shapes, connections out the back, boys wanting to be on the front foot, boys wanting to catch the ball on the line, a little bit of footwork, get the hands free. To play against the best team in the world, and to beat them at their own game in a lot of ways, it’s huge for the confidence. 

“I feel like people will be now be saying ‘shit, that’s not the Ireland of old, the box-kick Ireland,’. No, we are playing off the cuff, pretty tight shapes, we make defenders make decisions. It’s what we want to carry on doing.  

“We didn’t play negative footy, like the stereotype South Africa, they’re not playing the game the way it should be played when they win. We’ve got our own identity and it’s great.”