RWC 2023: All Blacks produce stunning performance to oust Ireland from RWC 2023

Ireland 24 (17) New Zealand 28 (18)

Heroic, absolutely heroic, there is no other way to describe the effort by both New Zealand and Ireland. This instant classic of a match will echo through Stade de France as long as the stadium stands.

The All Blacks found something deep in their DNA in the final four minutes as they repelled 36 phases of Ireland pressure with the latter searching for a winning try.

It never came, as the All Blacks defence held firm in the face of brilliant continuity from Ireland. Players were almost out on their feet as the final seconds counted down like decades for the All Blacks.

Somehow, somewhere, the men in black found the resolve to hold firm and move into the semi-finals where they will meet Argentina.

This was the All Blacks’ best performance since Ellis Park in 2022, possibly even better.

The pack stood up with outstanding contributions everywhere while the Barrett brothers in the back – Jordie and Beauden – as well as Rieko Ioane and Richie Mo’ounga were brilliant.

Ireland had no shortage of otherworldly performances either, from prop Andrew Porter, lock Tadgh Beirne to centre Bundee Aki and fullback Higo Keenan. It just wasn’t enough.

For Ireland it was another gutting quarterfinal exit – the eighth time at this stage – but this was no choke. They were beaten by a slightly better team in a match where both sides produced a performance for the ages.

Sport is cruel and it was agonising that one side had to lose after the effort, commitment, skill and courage both sides displayed.

The All Blacks had been written off and players such as captain Sam Cane questioned. They and he answered the critics emphatically. Who would write them off now. Winning the whole thing is more than a possibility – it’s a good probability.

Slow start

Ireland’s ghosts of quarterfinals past made an early appearance as the No 1 team in the world found themselves in depressingly familiar territory at this stage of the competition – in a big hole.

Seven previous quarterfinal defeats was a lot of baggage to carry into the contest and when the All Blacks ran into a 13-0 lead after 18 minutes, despite some promising play from Ireland, the game was already slipping away.

Lesser Irish teams would simply have folded at that point against the All Blacks. But this is not a lesser Irish team and they kept scrapping and taking the battle to the All Blacks.

By halftime the momentum had shifted and Ireland were just a point behind with All Black scrumhalf Aaron Smith in the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on. The game was still well and truly alive.

High quali