Ireland continue strong form
Two tries from winger Jordan Larmour gave Ireland a 30-24 win over the Mā ori All Blacks at Sky Stadium in Wellington last night, continuing the tourists’ momentum heading into Saturday’s series decider against the All Blacks.
Both teams scored four tries apiece, with the accurate boot of first-five Ciaran Frawley proving the difference in a game that saw four yellow cards dished out; two to the Mā ori All Blacks and two to Ireland.
Substitute Ruben Love provided a spark off the bench for the Mā ori All Blacks, scoring a spectacular breakaway try and setting up another for co-captain Brad Weber at the death.
But the Mā ori All Blacks left their run too late, with the fulltime hooter sounding straight after Josh Ioane slotted his conversion following Weber’s 80th minute try.
Their hopes of a late comeback were not helped when Shaun Stevenson was yellow carded for a deliberate knock down when his genuine attempt at an intercept was successful.
The Mā ori All Blacks got off to a perfect start with right-winger Stevenson scoring in the leftcorner following a slick backline move.
But Ireland’s response was swift, with Larmour running away untouched after some clever thinking from captain Keith Earls,
who took a quick throw instead of a lineout.
Frawley kicked Ireland into the lead with his conversion and they never relinquished it.
Nick Timoney helped push their lead out to 17-5 at halftime, reaching out to score following sustained pressure on the Mā ori All Blacks’ line at a time when both teams were playing with 14 men as Ollie Norris and Cian Prendergast had been sin binned for infringements.
Ireland lost Larmour for 10 minutes when he was yellow carded for an early tackle on Connor Garden-Bachop, which saw the Mā ori All Blacks also awarded a penalty try.
Gavin Coombes and a second try to Larmour sealed the win for Ireland, but Love got the crowd that braved the weather on their feet by carving through the Irish defence, lobbing a pass to Cullen Grace, getting it back and scoring the try of the night.