The Sports Corner

All Blacks maintain unbeaten run against Irish

Croke Park did not turn into a happy hunting ground for Ireland as the world’s best team visited town.

The All Blacks were methodical and dominant at the break down to walk away with a 22-3 win. They established the early momentum pinning the Irish down in their own half for much of the opening 30 minutes of the game. 

The Irish attempted to fight back but ultimately succumbed to a controversial penalty try given as Irish winger Tommy Bowe deliberately knocked the ball out of bounds with All Black Richie McCaw swooping into the corner for a likely try.

Ma’a Nonu and Brad Thorn added the other two All Black tries and Dan Carter who had an uncharacteristic bad day with the boot added two conversions and a penalty. The game ended with a largely irrelevant 30 minutes as neither side threatened to score and tough in close play and turnovers marred what could have been a greater spectacle.

Ireland managed to kick a single penalty from Ronan O’Gara who also struggled to find his range before the goals.

“We never managed to get a foothold in their half,” Ireland coach Declan Kidney told RTE television.

“In the first 30 minutes, we allowed a lot of our own energy to be soaked up and spent a lot of time in our own half. You run away with things that happened in the second half, probably the foundation for those were laid in the first half, especially those first 30 minutes.”

“With the way the results have gone now, in the same way we didn’t let ourselves get carried away last week it’s important we don’t get too disappointed this week,” Kidney added. ”Next week’s game is just so important for us. The boys are well battered and bruised so the next 24 hours is going to be very important to get as many of them back as possible.”

The Irish will move on this week to face Argentina, with New Zealand taking on Wales in Cardiff.