New Zealand 34 Ireland 23: As in 1992 and 2002 in Dunedin, this will be regarded as another All Blacks scalping that got away. The margin of defeat rests somewhere between, and perhaps the opportunity itself wasn't as good as in 1992, if better than a decade later. But this was in many ways a better performance than either.
You couldn't but admire the way Ireland - helped admittedly by the home side's rustiness in the first half - responded to Doug Howlett's try after 40 seconds and the way the All Blacks briefly set about going for the jugular. In terms of skill and mentality, it says much about the way this team have progressed since that meek mauling in November. In the process they put last summer's Lions to shame as well.
The influence of Brian O'Driscoll and Paul O'Connell was clearly profound, the captain providing a reference point in attack with a trademark straight line off crisp passing by Peter Stringer and Ronan O'Gara and a beauty from Gordon D'Arcy. The psychological impact on his team-mates of seeing O'Driscoll signal Ireland's intent can only be imagined.
Thereafter, with O'Connell leading the way up front, Ireland matched the All Blacks for intensity with a Munster-like zeal.
O'Connell led the way in the air as well, where Ireland unhinged the Keven Mealamu lineout throw; prompting the All Blacks think tank to bring on a third option, Jerome Kaino, early in the second half and abandon their experiment of playing two opensides.
As when the ever-dangerous Mils Muliaina broke through O'Gara's tackle in the build-up to Howlett's try - his 42nd in only his 51st Test leaving him four behind Christian Cullen's All Blacks record - the Irish defence seemed initially inclined to drift too much and leave themselves a little soft on the inside shoulder.
Gradually though, they began to close the space more aggressively and keep an impressively disciplined tightness, bringing All Blacks ball carriers to ground quickly - albeit that Graham Henry bemoaned his players' tendency to go to ground.
The All Blacks had to produce a belter from Muliaina early in the second half, before scoring off the game's most sustained frantic spell late on. And when it got frantic and unbroken, the All Blacks' Super 14-honed skills were always more likely to flourish, as did the greater physicality of their backs.
O'Driscoll himself, went on to have a cracking game, in defence as much as in ball-carrying, though he'll reproach himself for a couple of poor passes which saw set-piece moves break down. He combined as ever with D'Arcy and the backrowers to contest ball at the breakdown. Here David Wallace and Neil Best, along with the outstanding Denis Leamy and Jerry Flannery, made real nuisances of themselves.
That the toll began to mount can be attributed as much to the All Blacks' improvements as to anything else. They stopped forcing the pass and began to build foundations through their maul and close-in drives.
Their greater physicality, especially across the backline, also began to manifest itself, McAlister noticeably taking on more ball himself. O'Gara, to his credit, stood up to it well, while his goalkicking, tactical kicking and long, flat distribution were all on the money.
The All Blacks also maintained a clever policy - signposted from the deep recycling off the kick-off in the build-up to their long-range opening try - to kick as little as possible to touch. So Ireland's lineout platforms were mostly confined to penalties.
Nonetheless, Ireland didn't help their cause either. Most obviously, their scrum took a fearful punishing, especially Marcus Horan from the destructive Carl Hayman. Admittedly, the only two penalties at scrum time went to Ireland, one even earning a three-pointer. But the punishment must have exacted a big toll on Horan and the ever-willing John Hayes particularly. Might not Bryan Young be worth taking a punt on against the Wallabies? By Eddie O'Sullivan's estimation, the second-half penalty count was 9-3 in the All Blacks' favour, but Ireland can hardly have too many quibbles with them. Indeed, they'll be critical of their own indiscipline, or at any rate should be.
Penalties, and resulting three-pointers, such as those against Wallace, for not rolling away after the tackle, and Donncha O'Callaghan for pulling a maul down in front of the posts, could have been avoided. Likewise, Best blatantly coming in from the side to take out Byron Kelleher, and the backchat that turned a pivotal, late turnover scrum into a penalty. And Flannery could have no complaints about his late yellow card.
That was possibly the turning point of the match, Best having made a sharp interception with Ireland leading 23-21 coming toward the last 10 minutes. Instead of releasing quick ball, O'Connell took it on and was driven back in the tackle by Troy Flavell. That, alas, kick-started an horrendous last 10 for the Irish pack's talisman, featuring one turnover in the tackle, a dropped pass, failure to gather Stringer's chip in the prelude to Ma'a Nonu putting Flavell over and even the concession of McAlister's final three-pointer. And no-one will reproach O'Connell more than the man himself.
Whereas Kaino and Flavell had real impact on the game, by the time O'Sullivan brought on Keith Gleeson for Wallace the tide had already shifted in favour of the refreshed Blacks' pack. By the time Mick O'Driscoll was introduced, the game was effectively up. Girvan Dempsey's even later introduction was merely a token gesture.
O'Sullivan isn't the only Ireland coach who dislikes impact replacements, but looking ahead - especially if the mistakes and overreliance on the frontline core at the last World Cup aren't to be repeated next year in France - Ireland are going to have to develop more of a 22-man approach, especially they're going to play this high-tempo, ball-in-hand game.
You can't help feeling that the All Blacks will be nothing like as sluggish or error-prone next week, that they will seek to build more solid foundations through their pack and won't force the issue so much from the start, and that they'll pick a more balanced backrow if nothing else.
Thus, as in 1992 and 2002, not to mention at Lansdowne Road in 2001, the nagging suspicion remains that Ireland have missed their best chance.
SCORING: 2 mins: Howlett try 5-0; 11: O'Driscoll try, O'Gara con 5-7; 14: O'Gara pen 5-10; 23: McAlister pen 8-10; 31: O'Gara pen 8-13; 40: O'Gara pen 8-16 (half-time); 45: Muliaina try, McAlister con 15-16; 50: Trimble try, O'Gara con 15-23; 58: McAlister pen 18-23; 60: McAlister pen 21-23; 72: McAlister pen 24-23; 74: Flavell try, McAlister con 31-23; 76: McAlister pen 34-23.
NEW ZEALAND: M Muliaina (Blues); D Howlett (Blues), M Nonu (Hurricanes), A Mauger (Crusaders), J Rokocoko (Blues); L McAlister (Blues), B Kelleher (Chiefs); C Dermody (Highlanders), K Mealamu (Blues), C Hayman (Highlanders); C Jack (Crusaders), G Rawlinson (Blues); M Holah (Chiefs), R McCaw (Crusaders), R So'oialo (Wellington). Replacements: J Cowan (Highlanders) for Kelleher (32 mins), J Kaino (Blues) for Holah (46 mins), T Flavell (Blues) for Rawlinson (51 mins), N Tialata (Hurricanes) for Dermody (68 mins).
IRELAND: G Murphy (Leicester); S Horgan (Leinster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster capt), G D'Arcy (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster); R O'Gara (Munster), P Stringer (Munster); M Horan (Munster), J Flannery (Munster), J Hayes (Munster); D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster); N Best Ulster), D Wallace (Munster), D Leamy (Munster). Replacements: K Gleeson (Leinster) for Wallace (61 mins), M O'Driscoll (Munster) for Best (75 mins), G Dempsey (Leinster) for Murphy (76 mins). Sinbinned: Flannery (79 mins).
Referee: S Dickinson (Australia).
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