IRELAND NOW READY TO RULE THE WORLD95
Epic triumph over Kiwis can propel Schmidt’s men to glory
THE World Cup is on. Believe it. After the most complete, comprehensive performance of Joe Schmidt’s reign, Ireland’s prospects for Japan 2019 now extend beyond the IRFU’s stated objective of reaching a first semi-final to winning the competition outright.
That type of bullishness does not suit the Irish psyche. We are far more comfortable with a doff-thecap, happy to be here approach that can occasionally confound expectations but Schmidt has created a different mindset and the players are aiming to go all the way next year.
And last night showed why. When you marry traditional Irish fire with Joe Schmidt’s supreme planning, you get an irresistible combination and it was too much for New Zealand.
This was phenomenal. It was an elite contest, a level above anything we have seen in any of the other November Tests and Ireland bossed it. They had an answer for everything the All Blacks threw at them to the point where New Zealand lost all their customary swagger – this was their lowest points total since winning the 2011 World Cup final 8-7 against France – while keeping a team that averages around 30 points per game tryless was a remarkable achievement.
Towards the end, it was remarkable to see the dejection and despair in the All Blacks body language and there was no inclination to feel sympathy for them – they had this coming, the bullies got bullied and, after beating Italy next weekend, they must retreat to the far side of the planet to think again.
Because last night was a changing of the guard. The rankings will not show it yet, but Joe Schmidt has brought this Ireland team to the status of best in the world with an age profile and capacity for expansion that suggests they can get even better.
It was a night for heroes and everyone suited up. The improvement from last weekend’s stuttering win over Argentina was pronounced, not least for captain Rory Best who belied his 36 years to unearth an allaction display on top of crucial contributions to Ireland’s excellence at scrum, lineout and breakdown.
All of Schmidt’s selections paid off, even the injury-enforced ones with Josh van der Flier exceptional on the openside flank as was Devin Toner in the second row while Rob Kearney reestablished security at the back.
Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock were supposed to put Toner and James Ryan in their box but they could not make a dent. Beauden Barrett ended up shifted back to 15 and Kieran Marmion outplayed Aaron Smith, supposedly the best scrum-half in the world.
We’ve seen a lot of hakas over the years, to the point of familiarity breeding contempt but there was a special electricity to this one, with chief tongue-waggler TJ Perenara deliberately drawing it out and the home crowd wound up accordingly.
It set the tone for a ferocious opening with New Zealand pushing hard to land an early blow. CJ Stander has not been hitting the heights he is capable of at No8 in recent times and the South African opened like a man who had been given his final warning – a couple of punishing carries followed by a brilliant turnover penalty win under the Irish posts.
That gave Ireland a foothold to work their way downfield for Johnny Sexton to open the scoring with a penalty after 11 minutes. Barrett made it 3-3 six minutes later but it was against the run of play.
With the lineout operating smoothly, Sexton kicked a penalty for the corner to roared approval and Ireland won a five-metre scrum under the posts, Sexton’s chip over the top throwing New Zealand into panic but Rob Kearney could not control the grounding after a superb chase. Wayne Barnes came back for the penalty and Sexton made it 6-3 after 27 minutes, the blow-for-blow narrative continuing when Barrett dropped a goal two minutes later. But Ireland were in clear ascendancy and when Sexton made it 9-6, Ireland went in at the break having been by far the dominant team (63pc possession, 61pc territory) but with only a three-point advantage to show for it. Kieran Read’s broad smile when he led his men back out did not indicate any sense of panic but, after a nervy resumption, with errors on both sides, a brilliant ruck turnover by Peter O’Mahony, prompted Hansen to replace his entire front row. They could do nothing about the scrum that set up what happened next, an openside back to blind manoeuvre than unleashed Jacob Stockdale down the left for an exuberant chip and regather score.
Sexton converted to make it 16-6 and now the panic seemed to take hold of the black jerseys. Fifteen minutes in and it was still all Ireland. It took a high collision between Rob Kearney and Rieko Ioane to break the momentum – with Hansen making a big call bringing on Richie Mo’ounga for Damien McKenzie,
with Barrett switching to 15.
With Perenara replacing Aaron Smith at scrum-half, it led to New Zealand’s best period of the game, dangerous running by Savea and Ioane threatening a score until O’Mahony won another brilliant turnover. It was the Corkman’s final act, limping off after a heroic performance.
New Zealand desperately tried to salvage something but Ireland kept mowing them down and the best they could muster was another Barrett penalty.
The roar that greeted the final whistle felt like the loudest in the stadium’s eight-year history and this will be a night that will be embedded in Irish rugby folklore.
It could also be a reference point for what Schmidt goes on to achieve with this team. New Zealand are in shock now but they will be back – the difference now is that Ireland can deal with whatever remodelled All Blacks re-emerge.
Not to mention any other rugby nation on the planet. Play like this and no one can stop this Ireland side and that puts the World Cup on the table. That is not hype, it’s fact.