Fearless Ireland’s fizzing energy sparks an afternoon to remember

Perhaps the Irish fans should have sensed it when the All Blacks began their Haka, scrumhalf TJ Perenara patrolling the inside of his tight group of players goading them like the whip hand on a galley.

Deliberately positioning themselves some feet behind the 10-metre line so that they had space ahead and would not breach the rule designed to prevent an outright confrontation before the game, the Irish team, arms linked, aligned themselves across the pitch.

Then, with their backs to the goal and facing the squatting war party, in unison they defiantly shuffled forward.

It was respectful but bold. Ireland did not threaten but they did challenge. The crowd twitched. They were on board. It was the first tactic Ireland committed on the pitch, the first exchange in a game that burned down the stadium at Lansdowne Road.

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It was also a gesture that spoke to the courage Ireland knew they would have to find, a belief they had to express.

The players were not prepared to shrink in the face of the best team in the world. They would not step back. They would not be intimidated by an All Black group that have specialised in messaging the world that they are invincible.

With that brief expression of defiance, for the first time in two years, Ireland recruited a back-up choir of 51,700.

“It was so cool, my first-ever packed-out crowd,” said Hugo Keenan, who made his Irish debut just over a year ago. With 15 caps it was his first time playing in front of a full stadium.

Forward movement then became the theme of the day. Questions hung over Ireland's true north and whether the team from Japan last week gave too much license to Andy Farrell and his side to play the way they did.

That question was answered immediately, Ireland’s fizzing energy cutting swathes into a retreating New Zealand. We had seen this before, the early smothering of the opposition. Sustaining it was at issue.

On 14 minutes, it was James Lowe in the corner, fullback Jordie Barrett sweeping across in a final desperate fling to bulldoze the winger's body into touch but failing to get it done.

Kiwi on Kiwi, the sheer joy of scoring against a team he had dreamed of playing for, Lowe ran down the pitch removing the tie in his hair, which spilled down his back. For a split, surreal second in the blood and thunder of the match, a commercial shoot for L’Oreal had unfolded.

New Zealand coach Ian Foster, when asked after the match what he thought of three New Zealand born Irish players, Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park and Bundee Aki, refused to ignite the debate of not good enough for New Zealand.

“I only saw three Irish players,” quipped Foster.

The three would be pivotal in a match that never gave way to the normal rhythm of gear changes, Ireland inspiring with their brazen appetite to play the ball, the occasional box kick from Gibson-Park on the money.

But as the first half unfolded it seemed New Zealand had weathered the Irish storm, pickpocket Dalton Papalii breezing through after half an hour and Codie Taylor finishing.

Exhausted crowd

By half-time an exhausted crowd was thrilled but queasy. Ireland owned the ball and at 5-10 New Zealand the scoreboard. Barry Murphy’s ‘Alone You Stand’ a tribute song to Anthony Foley added another layer, the figure 8 from Chicago remembered as Ireland’s first challenge in the match.

But any fears of a New Zealand backlash were gravely misplaced.

“I remember being there in 2018. We beat them in 2016 as well,” said Keenan of his New Zealand recollections. “I know it’s a bit different but I beat them at Under-20s as well. After last week, after our performances during the summer and even at the back end of the Six Nations against England, we’ve really been growing in belief and improving so there was that bit of fearlessness.

“Obviously you have to respect them. They’re the best in the world. But that’s where we want to be ourselves. We spoke about it, not wanting to be underdogs chasing it. We want to be at that level.”

For 10 minutes after the break Ireland's high octane resumption continued. Rónan Kelleher rewarded the good work of Andrew Conway and Garry Ringrose before Caelan Doris charged from 20 yards out.

Will Jordan kicked and Rieko Ioane chased with Jordan popping up to score as the benches emptied, New Zealand sensing the fear of a game slipping away as Ireland relentlessly squeezed.

They may have hearts of cut crystal but New Zealand balls were spilled and with Sevu Reece throwing a pass into touch, human frailties began to show. Tries were no longer the winning currency for Ireland but turnovers.

Late in Tadhg Beirne bored into bodies and won the ball, the inscrutable Peter O’Mahony star jumping with delight. O’Mahony won another and Joey Carbery earned his right to maybe have a start one day.

Rebirth or reinvention, it’s probably something in between with the quietly spoken Farrell talking of his team’s fire and ice and the journey. As he did the encomiums were pouring in.

Ireland finished as they began pushing New Zealand, at the end nose to nose, eyeballing the world champions in their own 22. No step back.

“This is only the beginning. There’s no silverware. We haven’t won anything,” said Keenan reading the room.

Maybe so. But today nobody cared.