New Zealand got to work

Second-ranked in the Six Nations after France, Ireland chose to test themselves in adversity fifteen months before the World Cup, by going on to challenge New Zealand three times on home soil. And for the first of three confrontations between the two teams, the All Blacks did not go into details, with a 42-19 victory over Eden Park in Auckland, which allowed them to take revenge, after the recent 29-20 defeat in Dublin. November. This meeting was amazing, on a New Zealand night when the thermometer showed 11°C, with no less than nine tries recorded. And the festival began from the sixth minute, and it was not the blacks who opened the scoring, but rather the Irish, by Keith Earls, after close play and a good conversion from Jonathan Sexton and Gary Ringrose (0-5). New Zealand took a while to get into their game but, starting in the 20th minute, they began their festival. It was first Jordie Barrett who scored, while Lester Fainjanuku was stopped a few centimeters from the line by (7-5), then Sipho Reis achieved a small personal feat by scoring a try from 70 metres, after intercepting a volley. From Ringrose (14-5). Quinn Tupaea found the opening turn, after a fine little kick from Beauden Barrettt on the 22nd line (21-5), and three minutes later, Ardie Savea rounded out that first half of the Blacks’ best way, by flattening the ball that Aaron Smith had just replayed, after That failed to score after a kick to be followed by himself (28-5, MT).

Revenge next Saturday in Dunedin?

As in the first half, Ireland were the first to score in the second half, via Ringrose at number 44 at the left end of the line (28-12). But New Zealand was not worried for long. Ardie Savea made his second attempt of the evening in the 53rd minute, breaking through the defense after a touch (35-12) and then Pita Gus Sowakula celebrated his first pick in the best way possible by scoring after a powerful 5m scrum (42-12). After not allowing three tries, Ireland ended up scoring just before the Mermaid, by Auckland native Bundy Ake after a close play (42-19), but there was clearly no match between the two sides. New Zealand, dominant in many areas and especially in the conquest, will attempt the double next Saturday on the Dunedin side.