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Best in the world: Ireland defeat All Blacks with epic display as sensational Jacob Stockdale try lights up Dublin
Raise the arm, salute the winner, the undisputed heavyweight champions wearing emerald green. It didn’t need a hyped-up promoter to over-sell an occasion that lived up to its top-of-the-card billing from first whistle to last with punch and counter-punch, a match for the ages, confirmed only at the death with New Zealand striving right to the end.
The All Blacks didn’t score a try. Now there’s a sentence that has rarely been penned over the last decade and encapsulates just how stirring Ireland’s defence was, built on the credo that they shall not pass. And they didn’t.
So now we had better believe in them, Ireland duly laying claim to being the best in the world in 2018 after recording their first ever win over the All Blacks in Dublin thanks to Jacob Stockdale’s 48th-minute try. It was a moment of affirmation, a significant staging post en route to next year’s Rugby World Cup, a statement of intent for that tournament and a tantalising re-ordering of the leading contenders. New Zealand, particularly in the first half, were well beaten, more than the scoreboard suggests.
Ireland have been a gathering force for the last two years, a team on the rise with a Grand Slam to their name but without that final notch on the belt that would confirm their improving status. This was it.
This was the result that Ireland craved, proof that they belonged among the real elite of the game. If they had fluffed this audition, their self-belief would have splintered and they would have travelled to Japan with hope rather than expectation to fortify them. To judge by the roars of acclaim that rang out far across the Dublin dockside, such thoughts lay within the hearts and minds of their supporters, too. Ireland are on their way. Champions of Europe is one thing. This is quite another. As New Zealand themselves recognised.
“As of now they are the No 1 team in the world so I guess that does make them favourites for the World Cup,” said All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen. “But there is a lot of water to go under the bridge before the World Cup starts. When you get beaten it hurts. The dressing room is quiet, sombre. The players are gutted and that is how you should feel when you get beaten.”
And even if Ireland were under the pump as the clock went into the red and waves of black shirts bore down on them again, there was simply a feeling that this was their time. They would not give way, that deep-rooted desire and punishing defence eventually causing Brodie Retallick, a man who can probably count the errors in his entire career on the fingers of one hand, to knock on. That was a measure of Irish defiance and sense of certainty.
Flanker Peter O’Mahony was a giant - resolute, implacable, persistent. The Munsterman gave his very being to the cause. Johnny Sexton, forever probing, forever challenging, had to be dragged from the field with cramp a few minutes from time, fighting to the last for every inch. Josh van der Flier on the other flank, a late call-up on Friday, played with the devil and assurance of a regular. Kieran Marmion didn’t miss a beat at scrum-half, Jacob Stockdale on the wing was a force field of activity, getting the vital touchdown that sent Ireland clear. It was the sort of classy finish that is the hallmark of an All Black. Those terms of reference will have to be redefined.
It was the collective identity of Ireland’s play that left an inedible mark. There was not a single second in the frenetic action when anyone in green was not on-message. They had been brilliant schooled by Joe Schmidt, whose stock in his New Zealand homeland will have risen considerably after this triumph, cementing his own claims to be the next All Blacks head coach, and imbued, too, with the zeal of defence coach Andy Farrell. This was the fourth victory over New Zealand in which he has been involved in the last six years. And if Schmidt were to go after the World Cup, what price Farrell to replace him, perhaps in tandem with his former England coaching colleague Stuart Lancaster? How that sporting wheel turns.
“We couldn’t lose this one when we were seven points in front,” said Schmidt. “I’m incredibly proud of the players. As for being supposed World Cup favourites, we’ll leave 11 months time until 11 months time.”
Ireland bossed the first half. New Zealand conceded territory, possession and nine penalties, lucky to escape without being yellow-carded. Sexton knocked over three penalties to a penalty and a drop-goal from Beauden Barrett.
Irish fans were getting jittery, knowing that for all their side’s dominance there was precious little slack (9-6) in the scoreboard. Kieran Read caused palpitations when charging down Stockdale but failed to gather cleanly. Phew!
The reprieve proved valuable for within minutes Ireland had struck with a well-worked move, Sexton switching play back to the blindside through Bundee Aki who had Stockdale on his left. The wing needed no second bidding, chipping, chasing, gathering and stretching his left arm over the try line. Sexton converted and the Aviva erupted, celebrating Stockdale’s 12th try in 14 appearances, a finisher of the highest order.
The All Blacks have been here many times before, in this self-same location when they rolled back the stone from the seeming dead five years ago. They began to stir. Rob Kearney was fortunate to be only penalised when clattering into Rieko Ioane in the air.
The black-shirted riposte was, as ever, something to behold, New Zealand trying all that they knew to break Ireland. O’Mahony saved the day on numerous occasions.
Barrett almost wheedled his way through a half-gap only to pass the ball to Kearney. It was breathless stuff. Shades of 2013 flitted nightmarishly through 50,000 Irish minds. A Sexton high tackle on Richie Mo’unga saw Barrett reduce the arrears to 16-9 in the 69th minute.
Ireland still had to endure and they did, resisting to the end.
Prior to kick-off, Hansen was caught on camera handing over money (760 euros) for tickets that Schmidt had managed to purchase for him. New Zealand got no change from that transaction either. It was that kind of day.
Ireland 16 New Zealand 9, 74 minutes
Huge moment. New Zealand attempt to spread the ball wide inside their own 22. Beauden Barrett's pass is behind Kieran Read and Ben Smith is bundled into touch by Johnny Sexton, who punches the air.
Ireland are this close...
..Brodie Retallick steals! Mo'unga's clearance is touched too. New Zealand lineout. They clear.
Second half
New Zealand were back out on the field before Ireland. They'll have to be more disciplined in the second period.
Ireland get us going again, Sexton dinking the restart. Stockdale gets in front of Retallick but the ricochet is gobbled up by Scott Barrett. New Zealand go to the air now...and Scott Barrett spills. Scrum to Ireland on halfway.
Ireland 6 New Zealand 6, 33 minutes
What a game. Jacob Stockdale hauls Ireland onto the front foot by rising to take Aaron Smith's box-kick and surging up the middle of the field. James Ryan, carrying like a man possessed, makes a couple more dents. Ireland are with 15 metres.
Ireland spill, but Rieko Ioane cannot gather cleanly. Scrum to Ireland.
Special report
How have Ireland progressed to second spot on the world rankings? Let Tom Cary's special report tell you.
Good evening
Hello and welcome to live text commentary of the big one. Ireland face New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium. Officially, according to World Rugby's rankings, it's one versus two on the planet. Here are the teams.
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Kieran Marmion; 1 Cian Healy, 2 Rory Best (captain), 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Devin Toner, 5 James Ryan, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 CJ Stander.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Andrew Porter, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Joey Carberry, 23 Jordan Larmour.
New Zealand: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith; 1 Karl Tu'inukuafe, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Owen Franks, 4 Brodie Retallick, 5 Sam Whitelock, 6 Liam Squire, 7 Ardie Savea, 8 Kieran Read (captain).
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Matt Todd, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Richie Mo'unga, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.
The world champions arrived at the ground about half an hour ago.