The latest chapter of an ever-growing enthralling rivalry delivered more pain for Ireland as New Zealand backed up last year’s World Cup Quarter-Final win with another statement victory.
For Ireland, their 19-game home winning run came to a shuddering halt under the Friday night lights at a sold-out Aviva Stadium.
Playing their first game of the new international season, Ireland lacked their usual rhythm and cohesion as an All Blacks side at the opposite end of their campaign were just that bit sharper.
Andy Farrell won’t use that as an excuse for his team’s sloppy, indisciplined performance, yet with a dangerous Argentina side arriving in Dublin, the Ireland head coach must quickly turn the page.
There have been plenty of memorable battles between these two top teams, not least last year’s epic in Paris, but this one won’t live long in the memory as a litany of mistakes was not befitting of the occasion.
Not that the All Blacks will care as they ground out an important win in what is a period of transition under their new boss Scott Robertson.
Ireland’s review will not be pleasant as a string of handling errors and poor discipline gifted New Zealand victory.
Eighteen points from the boot of Damian McKenzie and a late try from Will Jordan that cancelled out Josh van der Flier’s earlier effort downed Ireland, who were left to rue a big missed opportunity to notch a sixth win over an All Blacks side that were there for the taking.
The battle lines were drawn before a ball was even kicked as the haka, led by the pantomime villain Rieko Ioane for the first time in his career, was met by the line of Ireland players taking an early step forward before Peter O’Mahony marched the green wall further to meet the All Blacks head on. Willie Anderson would have been proud.
With the scrum holding firm early doors, and the Irish players winning collisions, Jack Crowley kicked the hosts into a seventh minute lead that was quickly cancelled out by McKenzie.
As Joe McCarthy and Scott Barrett clashed, and Garry Ringrose smashed Ioane in a bone-shuddering tackle, the decibel levels went up a notch but, instead of feeding off that energy, the Ireland players started to make uncharacteristic errors.
The defence held firm against the wave after wave of Kiwi attacks until the pressure eventually told as another penalty concession left McKenzie an easy kick in front of the sticks just shy of the half-hour mark.
Ireland were very much under the cosh, but a rare foray into the New Zealand 22 ended with a poor mistake at a ruck, which just about summed up Farrell’s side’s inaccuracies.
That mistake allowed the All Blacks to work their way back down the other end of the pitch, where they won another penalty which led to referee Nic Berry issuing a final team warning.
McKenzie gave the visitors a 9-3 advantage coming up to the break but there was enough time for Crowley to reduce the deficit after Jordie Barrett saw yellow for a high tackle on his soon-to-be Leinster centre partner Ringrose.
With Barrett in the bin, Ireland needed a fast start to the second half and they got exactly that, thanks to another penalty for ‘denying access to the aerial contest’ as the new ‘escort’ directive continued to wreak havoc.
Turning down the three points on offer, Ireland went for the jugular by kicking to the corner. The maul was stopped short again and, as the ball spilled loose, Sam Cane collected it before being driven back over his own line by a ferocious double hit from Bundee Aki and James Lowe.
With an attacking five-metre scrum, and New Zealand down a man, Ireland struck for the opening try as a strong carry off the base from captain Caelan Doris led to a series of carries before Van der Flier picked a clever line and powered over from close range.
Crowley converted for 13-9, but Ireland’s indiscipline cost them another three points as McKenzie arrowed over a long-range kick to narrow the margin again.
Despite the changes, Ireland were still coughing up silly penalties and when Iain Henderson became the latest to be punished, McKenzie put the All Blacks 18-13 in front.
As the Irish mistakes continued, New Zealand struck for a well-worked score as Jordan went over for his 37th try in 39 Tests to maintain his scintillating strike rate.
McKenzie missed the conversion but it still left Ireland requiring a minor miracle in the closing stages and, unlike in South Africa during the summer, it did not materialise as Farrell’s side were condemned to their first home defeat since the 2021 Six Nations.
Ireland: H Keenan; M Hansen, G Ringrose (J Osborne 70), B Aki, J Lowe; J Crowley (C Frawley 57), J Gibson-Park (C Murray 74); A Porter (C Healy 74), R Kelleher (R Herring 57), F Bealham (T O’Toole 57-60); J McCarthy (I Henderson 57), J Ryan; T Beirne (P O’Mahony 70), J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).
New Zealand: W Jordan; M Tele’a, R Ioane, J Barrett, C Clarke (A Linert-Brown 71); D McKenzie, C Ratima (C Roigard 51); T Williams (O Tu’ungafasi 60), A Aumua (G Bell 79), T Lomax (P Tosi 60); S Barrett (capt), T Vaa’i (P Tuipulotu 57); W Sititi, S Cane (S Finau 72), A Savea.
Referee: N Berry (Australia)
The 19-game winning streak on home soil comes to a shuddering halt for Ireland. Make sure to keep an eye on the Independent.ie for post-game reaction and analysis before the night is out.
An equally unimpressed Matt Williams notes how “neither Irish fly-half had a good game,” referring to Jack Crowley and Ciaran Frawley.
Will Jordan finds touch on halfway and this will be the last play of the game in all probability. Damian McKenzie has been gifted the Man of the Match award.
The game has been paused momentarily as blood streams from the head of Sam Kane.
New Zealand go wing to wing as Ardie Savea looks to put Mark Telea away until Hugo Keenan snags the winger. New Zealand regather and keep the pace of the attack up as Roigard goes wide and sees Will Jordan in acres of space to slide over the try-line.
As has been the case all evening, Damian McKenzie points to the sticks.