One week away from facing the XV of France, the All Blacks have fallen. Faced with brave Irish, the New Zealanders fell (29-20), Saturday, November 13. Rarely, we have seen the New Zealanders so dominated and cornered by a nation of the northern hemisphere than in this match.
Despite a fear at the end of the match with a try refused to the All Blacks, for a forward (69th), while the score was only 23 to 17, the Irish scored three fine tries, before two penalties of Joey Carbery at the very end of the game does not release them. Omnipresent on the clearings and in the support, disciplined and efficient, Andy Farrell’s men thwarted their opponents, scoring at crucial moments of the match.
In the first period, they took advantage of a numerical superiority after a yellow card for New Zealand hooker Codie Taylor (16th) to register a first school try. The center Bundee Aki, native of New Zealand, extended a pass to find Hugo Keenan who served winger James Lowe to flatten in the corner (5-0, 18th).
But even arch-dominated, the All Blacks are no less formidable and on a touch in the opposing camp, they took advantage of a disagreement in the green defense to send Taylor, back from the edge of the field, behind the line ( 5-10).
FULL TIME at the AVIVA!
Ireland have done it again!#TeamOfUs | #IREvNZL pic.twitter.com/Bqj8xzOXu3
– Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) November 13, 2021
By remaining only 23 seconds in the opposing 22 meters during this first period, the Blacks rallied the locker room in the lead. But the Irish knew they were on the right track and went into the second act with even more determination, if possible.
From the 43rd minute, hooker Ronan Kelleher brought his team back to level with a test of strength (10-10) and a few minutes later, it was flanker Caelan Doris, elected man of the match, who found the gap by insisting upwind to put the Greens back in charge (17-10, 50th).
Then Johnny Sexton added three points (20-10 57th), a few moments before having to leave the field for concussion after a shock to the head. The green dream faltered again when Will Jordan reduced the score to 20-17 shortly after the hour mark. But the end of the game was well controlled by the Irish against the sometimes muddled offensives of the beleaguered New Zealanders.
The little nudge from the video refereeing at the end and the composure of their replacement scorer did the rest for an afternoon that, after the successes of 2016 and 2018, will be remembered at Lansdowne Road.