RUGBY WORLD CUP 2019: Barnstorming All-Blacks too hot to handle as Ireland crash out

By COLIN BARTLEY

AS defeats go, this was chastening. As much as Ireland didn’t help themselves, New Zealand beat Ireland in pretty much every area, every battle and every facet of the game.

Joe Schmidt’s time as Ireland coach ended in a 46-14 defeat, in a game where we hardly landed a punch or appeared to have a sniff of winning.

As hard as a 22-0 deficit at half -time was to turn over, by 45 minutes it was 29-0 and over as a contest. Not only could Ireland not catch an All-Black jersey, they couldn’t chase the Silver Fern’s black shadows.

Ireland’s gameplan fell apart through poor execution, over-cooked kicks, poor handling, lack of concentration in defence, poor support and what seemed like a lack of urgency in the defensive line – the basics.

Mistakes led to the All-Blacks three tries in the first half, not to take anything away from New Zealand, they pounced on Ireland’s errors and punished them. Two tries for Aaron Smith and one for Beauden Barrett all but put this game to bed.

Cory Taylor went over after 47 minutes to end the game as a contest. From here on, it was nothing more than Ireland trying to save face.

Matt Todd went in for a fifth try on 62 minutes.

Ireland finally created an attack on 67 minutes and Robbie Henshaw scored.

New Zealand answered when George Bridge scored on 73 minutes. Ireland were awarded a penalty try on 75 minutes, Matt Todd saw a yellow for the infringement. At the death, Jordy Barret crossed for a seventh try and that’s how it finished – a 46 -14 mauling.

New Zealand were truthfully awesome, carrying out an effective plan of not allowing rucks to form, keeping the ball off the deck and moving the ball to the wings as soon as possible, they simply crippled Ireland.

Rory Best played his last game and, who knows, possibly Johnny Sexton too. The Joe Schmidt era ends in the worst possible way. Questions will be asked due to the nature of defeat, but the truth, unfortunately, was there for all to see.

The All-Blacks march on to face England in the semi-final next week, who crushed Australia this morning.