‘A bit salty’: Life in NZ after test defeat

New Zealand can become a dark and desperate place after an All Blacks loss and a pair of travelling Irish media personalities have provided first-hand outsiders’ view ahead of tonight’s series-deciding test.

Former Ireland player-turnedcommentator Donal Lenihan and Irish rugby caller Michael Corcoran have revealed what Kiwis really sound like to the rest of the world when things aren’t going so well in the national game.

‘‘The word I heard used which was a good one was that their attitude was a bit salty,’’ Corcoran said of the All Blacks faithful after the loss in the second test on the RTE´ Rugby podcast. ‘‘It’s not something that happens very often in terms of them losing matches at all, let alone losing matches at home.’’

Referee Jaco Peyper came under fire for some of his decisions from All Blacks fans and the New Zealand media following Ireland’s 23-12 victory in Dunedin but there was little sympathy from Lenihan and Corcoran, who felt Ireland missed out on some controversial calls themselves. ‘‘There’s a tendency down here to blame everything and anything except the people who were responsible,’’ Lenihan said of New Zealand’s fans on the RTE´ Rugby podcast.

‘‘They’ve got to look at themselves.’’ Lenihan claimed the New Zealand rugby media weren’t happy with Peyper or Karl Dickson in the first test in Auckland and said they still blame Wayne Barnes for the 2007 Rugby World Cup semifinal loss to France. ‘‘They don’t know where to turn,’’ he said. He also feels the All Blacks have overstepped the mark previously and got away with too much.

‘‘I think referees are looking at them now,’’ Lenihan said. ‘‘They have stepped across the mark and now they’re under the microscope.’’

According to Lenihan, the All Blacks made 27 handling errors under the roof in Dunedin last Saturday. ‘‘They have to get that right before they start worrying about officials and cards and all of that.’’

All Blacks coach Ian Foster refused to blame the officials post the loss in Dunedin but agreed with England coach Eddie Jones in questioning the volume of yellow and red cards currently being dished out in international rugby.

Corcoran believes the complaints around the officials and cards shows how much pressure the All Blacks – especially Foster and captain Sam Cane – are under going into the deciding test but Lenihan suggested that could inspire a special performance from the men in black.

But they aren’t writing Ireland off from claiming their first-ever series win in New Zealand.

Both felt Ireland left points out there in the second test, offering hope they can be better in the Wellington decider, as they will need to be because they also expect the All Blacks to be a stronger team.