New Zealand...51 Ireland...19: A heaving mass of bodies collapsed over the New Zealand line but Irish centre John Hearty couldn't ground the ball to the referee's satisfaction. It was the final act of the IRB under-21 World Cup final and encapsulated the attitude of this young Irish team.
They demonstrated guts, character and occasional cameos of ability at a rain-soaked Hughenden yesterday but bravery along wasn't enough against a brilliant New Zealand team. The "Baby Blacks" were worthy champions, comprehensive winners and while the result couldn't be disputed, the Irish team will take issue with negative interpretations of the winning margin.
Ireland were reduced to 14 men on 70 minutes when Hearty lashed out after being thrown to the ground. His team were to be awarded a penalty but it was subsequently reversed and the Blackrock College player was dispatched to the sin bin.
It was a harsh decision, made all the more galling by the fact that just minutes earlier, New Zealand hooker John Pareanga was twice spoken to by Welsh referee Hugh Watkins in consecutive passages of play; on the first occasion for throwing a punch. New Zealand should have been a man down and when Ireland were, they conceded 14 points in the final stages of the contest.
It didn't alter the destination of the title but the final margin should have been less emphatic. New Zealand produced some scintillating rugby, usually clustered in three or four-minute spells, that was at times, mesmeric. Strong-running full back Glen Horton won the man-of-the-match accolade but it was inside centre Luke McAlister who proved Ireland's tormentor-in-chief.
His handling, vision, angles of running and distribution opened Ireland up on countless occasions. His midfield partner Ben Atiga was only marginally less effective. When New Zealand put pace on the game, initially through a rampaging pack and then out wide, the rugby they conjured was irresistible.
Physically, they were able to take tackles on their own terms and having to commit just two or three players to win ball at the breakdown meant there were plenty of troops ready to punch the ball up in midfield.
They scored six tries and most came after an initial softening-up process and then from sheer pace and from the angles they worked on an overtaxed and, by that stage, depleted Irish defence. Wing Tony Koonwaiyou was the main beneficiary, crossing for three tries, with abrasive openside Jonathan Poff and replacements Tii Paulo and Hosea Gear also grabbing tries.
In the five years of this tournament and its previous incarnation the SANZAR World Cup, New Zealand have lost just one match and that was a one-point defeat to South Africa, in the latter's back yard in the 2002 semi-final.
A squad that includes nine players with Super 12 experience illustrates the Kiwis' ability and they emphasised it on the pitch during this competition.
Coach Bryce Woodward pointed out: "Without wishing to be seen as arrogant, if we'd got better weather in this tournament, you'd really seen what this team was capable of."
A sobering thought and one the other 11 teams won't dwell on for too long.
Yesterday's Irish starting XV has been largely unchanged throughout the tournament and this final was their fifth game in 16 days.
Factoring in that they spent much of the first half without the ball, it's little wonder that players were half a second slow on occasion in filling defensive lines. The lineout, which has served them so well in this competition and from which they scored their two tries yesterday - through the outstanding Jamie Heaslip and Shane O'Connor - didn't provide the requisite platform.
New Zealand had obviously taken time to watch videos and managed to snaffle several Irish throw-ins. The scrum was reasonably sound but Ireland were forced to live off scraps.
Yet in adversity they stood up to be counted. Everyone one of the pack worked his socks off, none more so than Heaslip and the excellent Brendan O'Connor.
Tomás O'Leary showed courage and determination to tidy up a great deal of sloppy ball, Glen Telford managed a couple of trademark big hits, while Andrew Finn's positional play was exemplary. Unfortunately, every Irish error was magnified as they found it so difficult to get the ball back.
Yet, with 14 minutes left, they trailed 33-19 and should have had an outside chance had the referee sent New Zealand hooker Pareanga to the bin. He didn't. He did not, however show the same kind of restraint in the Hearty incident.
McAlister kicked a couple of early penalties and then kicked two from three conversion opportunities as Koonwaiyou grabbed a brace and Poff the other to leave the Kiwis leading 25-11 at half-time. Gareth Steenson dropped a fine goal, tagged on a penalty, but could not add the extra points to Heaslip's try. McAlister and Heaslip exchanged penalties and Koonwaiyou and Stephen O'Connor tries, before the Kiwis produced a big finish against depleted Ireland.
Ireland's effort had been valiant and they'll reflect with some pride on a tournament in which they exceeded all expectations bar their own. New Zealand though were just too accomplished, much as they have been for the past five years.
SCORING SEQUENCE:
7 mins: McAlister penalty, 3-0; 12: McAlister penalty, 6-0; 19: Steenson drop goal, 6-3; 26: T Koonwaiyou try, McAlister conversion, 20-3; 30: Steenson penalty, 20-6; 35: Koonwaiyou try, 25-6; 38: Heaslip try, 25-11. Half-time: 25-11. 41: McAlister penalty, 28-11; 44: Steenson penalty, 28-14; 60: Koonwaiyou try, 33-14; 64: S O'Connor try, 33-19; 71: Paulo try, McAlister conversion, 40-19; 74: Gear try, McAlister conversion, 47-19.
IRELAND: A Finn (Dolphin); R Lane (UCC), J Hearty (Blackrock), G Telford (Dungannon), P McKenzie (Loughborough University); G Steenson (QUB), T O'Leary (Cork Constitution); J Wickham (Clontarf), D Fogarty (Cork Constitution), D Fitzpatrick (Belfast Harlequins); D Gannon (Blackrock, capt), S O'Connor (Cork Constitution); B O'Connor (Cork Constitution), J Heaslip (Dublin University), D O'Brien (Old Belvedere). Replacements: B O'Donnell (UL Bohemian) for O'Brien (72 mins); C Geoghegan (UCD) for Fogarty (75 mins); O Hennessy (Dungannon) for B O'Connor (77 mins).
Sin-binned: J Hearty 70-80 mins.
NEW ZEALAND: G Horton; T Koonwaiyou, B Atiga (capt), L McAlister, R Wulf; S Donald, T Morland; B Franks, J Pareanga, J Afoa; C Clarke, J Ryan; G Naoupu, J Kaino, J Poff. Replacements: P Weepu for Morland (48 mins); K Haiu for Clarke (61 mins); M Tu'u for Haiu (66 mins); T Paulo for Pareanga (68 mins); H Gear for Wulf (71 mins).
Referee: H Watkins (Wales).
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