Backs:

Hugo Keenan — 6: Uncharacteristically slipped off a few tackles, but who in green didn’t? Dealt relatively well with black waves of attack and walked in a second-half try. Possibly should have passed to Rob Baloucoune on the overlap as Ireland finally cut loose in the 30th minute but would have seen Jordie Barrett tracking across like a train — it was exceptional defence by Keenan’s former Leinster teammate.

Robert Baloucoune — 6: Received his first pass in the 26th minute having possessed the ball for the first time only moments earlier. Well marshalled by Josh Moorby throughout but was also sound defensively in his own right, as is typical, except perhaps for the Anton Lienert-Brown try at the death.

Garry Ringrose — 5: Made several mistakes on both sides of the ball, but also won a turnover on the ground after some good counter-rucking by Jimmy O’Brien in the first half. One half-break but not enough in attack again.

Stuart McCloskey — 5: A rare occasion on which the Ulster centre was ineffectual. The open goal he handed to Will Jordan for the Kiwi’s try appeared more like a misinterpretation between McCloskey and Hugo Keenan than strictly an individual error, but you can’t throw a blind pass inside your own 22′ at Eden Park, and McCloskey was duly punished. Caught out defensively on several occasions, which is unlike him.

Jimmy O’Brien — 5: Careless with the ball on a couple of occasions and dominated in the air after last week’s impressive effort in both areas. Carried honestly, tackled diligently, and made one impressive counter-ruck, but not a performance to remember.

Sam Prendergast — 6: Quintessential to Ireland’s third try with a brilliant line-kick and a tidy assist for Keenan in the left-hand corner, but a couple of poor, forced passes also ended Ireland attacks in each half. Kicked well from hand in general and spotless from the tee. His missed touch after Ireland withstood a 26-phase assault in the dying minutes invited further pressure, but the visitors were in Hail Mary territory. Better than usual in defence, if still not great.

Jamison Gibson-Park — 5: Passing uncharacteristically inaccurate in the first half, appeared to overthink and overcompensate for Ireland’s bluntness at times by changing the point of attack too early in a set. Gave away a silly penalty for obstructing Ruben Love and had a mixed day in defence, saving a try with a brilliant tackle from behind on Damian McKenzie, but also finding himself culpable in a McKenzie try later on.

Forwards:

Tom O’Toole — 6: Achieved at least parity at the scrum, save for one late free-kick for an early engagement.

Dan Sheehan (captain) — 7: Won two turnovers, including a jackal penalty just shy of the hour mark. Threw a solid lineout after Rónan Kelleher’s hiccups last week. Led from the front and did what he could to influence referee Nic Berry, often in a bewildered tone, but to no avail.

Tadhg Furlong — 7: Made 17 tackles and was unfortunate not to be awarded a scrum penalty deep in Ireland territory.

Joe McCarthy — 8: Ireland’s best player on the day, and one of the few to routinely put dents in the men opposite him. Played with belligerence and led Ireland’s tackle charts and carry charts with 25 and 15 respectively.

James Ryan — 7: An improved outing from Ryan aside from one unforced knock-on inside the Kiwi 22′. Made a lineout steal on 26 minutes and was a menace in Ireland’s defensive maul. Also called a good lineout on Irish ball.

Tadhg Beirne — 6: His relative inexperience at blindside showed for Savea’s try as he was too slow to break from the scrum. Pinged for offside after the aforementioned Ryan knock-on. Made one turnover in open play early and might have had a couple more at the defensive breakdown were it not for how the ruck was refereed by Berry on the day.

Josh van der Flier — 6: Won a jackal on 30 minutes but offered little in attack, carrying just once, for one yard, in the first half. Improved offensively in the second half.

Jack Conan — 7: Made 12 carries and took his try well during a first half in which he was one of few Ireland players who performed to near his best.

Replacements:

Rónan Kelleher (Sheehan, 65′) — 5: Lost a lineout on an otherwise perfect day for that particular set-piece, and had no meaningful impact on the game following the withdrawal of the impressive Sheehan.

Jeremy Loughman (O’Toole, 65′) — 5: Similarly entered a dying game and was fairly inconspicuous.

Thomas Clarkson — 6: Made a few thudding carries, an area of his game which has come on leaps and bounds in recent months.

Nick Timoney (Ryan, 57′) — 5: Got scant return from his efforts with ball in hand, particularly near the Kiwi try-line.

Sean Jansen (Van der Flier, 57′) — 5: See Timoney above.

Craig Casey (Gibson-Park, 75′) — n/a

Ciarán Frawley (O’Brien 13′, 57′) — 5: Had little opportunity to do anything. Turned over after collecting a Prendergast crossfield kick late on and should have done better to present the ball back, albeit he might have been turned over in any case so isolated was he in the Kiwi’ 22′.

Bundee Aki (McCloskey, 60′) — Picked up where McCloskey left off, and not in a good way, during the final quarter. Had earlier come on as a HIA replacement for a cameo brief enough that it didn’t really affect his rating either way.