All Blacks gain revenge over Ireland with 21-9 win over Ireland in Dublin

The rugby Test in front of 51,000 roaring fans at sold-out Lansdowne Road was played at a ferocious pace as collisions forced out Irish starters Robbie Henshaw, Jonathan Sexton, and CJ Stander with first-half injuries.

Henshaw had to be immobilised and stretchered off.

The visitors — determined to exact revenge for Ireland’s 40-29 triumph on November 5 in Chicago, its first victory over the All Blacks in 111 years — stifled Irish scoring opportunities with bruising defence, last-ditch turnovers, and frequent disruptive fouls.

“Whilst it wasn’t always pretty, we’ve got to be pretty happy with the result,” New Zealand coach Steve Hansen said.

“In Chicago, we turned up five per cent off mentally and they punished us for it. Today, we answered some questions about our team’s character.”

Ireland scored five tries in Chicago, but none at home.

The All Blacks overwhelmed Ireland at the start, taking a 7-0 lead after just three minutes as fly half Beauden Barrett’s cross-field kick found an open Malakai Fekitoa on the left wing just outside Ireland’s five-metre line.

The centre sidestepped scrumhalf Conor Murray and lunged across for the opening try.

Barrett, named this week as world player of the year, kicked the conversion and doubled New Zealand’s lead in the 14th by running straight through a gap in the Irish defence for an easy try. His delay in touching down the ball nearly cost New Zealand as Sexton caught him from behind and came within an inch of holding up the ball.

“That was nearly embarrassing,” Barrett said.

“I was trying to get the ball right under the posts, but first things first, I’ve got to get that ball down.”

The Irish in reply could muster only two first-half penalties, one each by Sexton and his replacement Paddy Jackson, despite forcing New Zealand down to 14 men after scrumhalf Aaron Smith was sin-binned.

New Zealand committed seven first-half penalties to Ireland’s one but led 14-6.

Ireland attacked with renewed aggression in the second half and kept New Zealand pinned within its own half for lengthy stretches, but repeatedly spilt the ball as it neared the All Blacks’ tryline.

“We couldn’t score that try,” Irish captain Rory Best said.

“If you want to beat the All Blacks, you’ve got to score more than nine points.”

Reflecting the imbalance in possession, Ireland completed 243 passes to New Zealand’s 134, and won 18 lineouts to New Zealand’s seven, while the All Blacks made 166 tackles to Ireland’s 76.

“That was a helluva tough match, a real Test,”

All Blacks captain Kieran Read said.

“The Irish play a great brand of footy. They hold the ball well. I’m pretty sore.”

After halftime, Fekitoa was sin-binned for a high tackle on Simon Zebo, but Ireland could parlay that advantage only into another Jackson penalty that narrowed the score to 14-9.

The All Blacks struck the killer blow soon after Fekitoa returned from the bin, completing a counter-attack of brilliant inter-passing with his second converted try in the 66th.

Hansen questioned why referee Jaco Peyper called 14 penalties against his team and just four against Ireland.

“I can’t say all the penalties were right or wrong, but the refs said they were,” Hansen said.

“I’d like to see some consistency throughout the game. I saw the same things happening to us.” As for Fekitoa’s yellow card, when he swung his arm into Zebo’s neck as the Irish winger sprinted down the left touchline, Hansen called that “sloppy play, not malicious.”

New Zealand completes its tour next Sunday (AEDT) versus France in Paris, while Ireland tries to end Australia’s grand slam bid in Dublin.

Irish coach Joe Schmidt said he feared Stander, Henshaw, and Sexton all might be unavailable against the Wallabies.

“We’ve got a lot of head injuries to deal with... and see how those guys come through the week,” he said.

“Some of those guys may not get the opportunity to play next week and that would be very disappointing.”

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Originally published as All Blacks gain sweet revenge over Ireland