New Zealand thrash Ireland to set up World Cup semi-final with England

The forecast rain did not turn up but a big black cloud did. New Zealand are never more menacing than when they are portrayed as vulnerable, which they were in the buildup to this quarter-final, but they left Ireland scattered all over the turf to set up a semi-final with England.

Attention was focused on the lack of international experience between scrum-half and full-back but the history of the All Blacks contains several examples of getting an opponent to look one way when the danger is coming from another direction. Ireland prepared for a battle out wide, but the ball only went there after New Zealand had driven hard time and again through the belly of the Ireland pack. It was a victory based on forward supremacy.

It was brutally simple, intelligent and skilful rugby, the ability to absorb contact, hold on to the ball, make gradual metres and then move it quickly when gaps appeared. The two wings, Sevu Reece and George Bridge, had a licence to roam and Ireland reached points where, manfully though they defended, they ran out of numbers.

New Zealand’s first try, after 13 minutes, summed up the opening, Joe Moody, Kieran Read and Sam Cane driving hard and low into tackles. The ball was delivered cleanly giving Ireland no chance to slow it down and when Aaron Smith, close to the line, saw that no guard was posted at the ruck dived for the line.

Smith scored his side’s second from a scrum move with Reece appearing in midfield to throw out a long pass to Bridge whose opposite number, Keith Earls, was sucked infield. Bridge went past Jacob Stockdale and Robbie Henshaw, who had earlier suffered a clash of heads with his midfield partner, Garry Ringrose, as they tackled Ardie Savea, only to be hauled down by Earls.

New Zealand’s 12, 13 and 14 were first to the breakdown and when Stockdale moved too early Smith had an open invitation to score.

New Zealand were playing with such pace and precision that Ireland did well not to collapse. They had few opportunities, not helped when Jonathan Sexton’s kick to touch after a penalty did not make it, one of three from the men in green, but they were under such constant pressure in defence and attack that they struggled for oxygen.

They were on the attack when New Zealand scored their third try. Sexton’s pass to Rob Kearney went to ground, Anton Lienert-Brown hacked on and Beauden Barrett kicked it towards the line and picked up to make it 22-0 and leave Ireland needing a comeback to rival France’s against the All Blacks in the 1999 semi-final.

Ireland’s supporters, here in their thousands, had made this corner of Tokyo Dublin’s twin, drowning out the haka, but New Zealand dominated after taking the kick-off, Richie Mo’unga’s early penalty after Stockdale’s deliberate knock-on offering little sign of what was to come.

The All Blacks did not let up after the break when Scott Barrett replaced the back-rower Sam Cane, presumably to fortify the lineout, their only area of weakness, Read’s pass as he hit the ground set up Codie Taylor before the replacement Matt Todd made it 34-0 after Reece had collected Mo’unga’s cross-kick.

Ireland kept going: their captain, Rory Best, who had been too emotional to sing the national anthem, came off to a standing ovation after 62 minutes in his final appearance as a professional and the reaction stirred Ireland.

Henshaw knocked on as he tried to ground Carbery’s chip over the line but immediately scored from a scrum.

New Zealand responded with their sixth try, Dane Coles freeing Bridge but Ireland kept coming. A penalty try took them into double figures but New Zealand had to have the final word through Jordie Barrett with the final move of a game that showed the holders will take some toppling.

Source: The Guardian
-Agencies