Hello everyone and welcome! Here we go…
Gavan Casey with you here and I’ll be taking you through Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final with New Zealand, blow by blow, from 8pm.
Seven times Ireland have reached this stage of the competition, and seven times they’ve gone no further. The All Blacks, by contrast, have won seven of their eight quarters…
…but they’ve lost five of their last eight meetings with Ireland.
Really, most of that goes out the window in under an hour’s time. It all comes down to 80 minutes at the Stade de France, Paris.
Have your breathing exercises at the ready!
‘You’re not the boss of me, Joe.’
Joe and Paulie. pic.twitter.com/JL8kEQ7vf6
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) October 14, 2023
Andy Farrell has said as recently this evening that Mack Hansen is as fit as everybody else and he proceeds as scheduled on Ireland’s right wing.
With James Ryan absent through injury, ‘Big Joe’ McCarthy comes onto the bench from which he’ll surely have some impact in the second half.
Jimmy O’Brien set for his first World Cup minutes — he, too, could be really important in that he possibly covers wing, outside centre and fullback.
Ireland
- 15. Hugo Keenan
- 14. Mack Hansen
- 13. Garry Ringrose
- 12. Bundee Aki
- 11. James Lowe
- 10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
- 9. Jamison Gibson-Park
- 1. Andrew Porter
- 2. Dan Sheehan
- 3. Tadhg Furlong
- 4. Tadhg Beirne
- 5. Iain Henderson
- 6. Peter O’Mahony
- 7. Josh van der Flier
- 8. Caelan Doris
Replacements:
- 16. Rónan Kelleher
- 17. Dave Kilcoyne
- 18. Finlay Bealham
- 19. Joe McCarthy
- 20. Jack Conan
- 21. Conor Murray
- 22. Jack Crowley
- 23. Jimmy O’Brien
New Zealand, meanwhile, are without wing Mark Telea who supposedly breached curfew during the week.
Leicester Fainga’anuku onto the left wing in Telea’s place.
New Zealand
- 15. Beauden Barrett
- 14. Will Jordan
- 13. Rieko Ioane
- 12. Jordie Barrett
- 11. Leicester Fainga’anuku
- 10. Richie Mo’unga
- 9. Aaron Smith
- 1. Ethan de Groot
- 2. Codie Taylor
- 3. Tyrel Lomax
- 4. Brodie Retallick
- 5. Scott Barrett
- 6. Shannon Frizell
- 7. Sam Cane (captain)
- 8. Ardie Savea
- 16. Dane Coles
- 17. Tamaiti Williams
- 18. Fletcher Newell
- 19. Samuel Whitelock
- 20. Dalton Papali’i
- 21. Finlay Christie
- 22. Damian McKenzie
- 23. Anton Lienert-Brown
‘You’re not actually the boss of me anymore either, Joe.’
Andy Farrell and Joe Schmidt having an extended chat. pic.twitter.com/mMIJuuETnZ
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) October 14, 2023
A lot of friendly scenes on the touchline.
Ten minutes to kick-off at the Stade de France.
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Players are back out now to a serious light-show at the Stade.
As has become typical, it’s a sea of green in the stadium.
There’ll be a moment’s silence for the victims of the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza. Then it’ll be anthem time, and then the haka.
I dunno about you, but my nerves are absolutely shot — and have been since yesterday, really.
Here comes the haka — and Ireland have converged in the figure of eight to remember Anthony Foley, who passed away in Paris seven years ago next Monday.
‘The Fields of Athenry’ rings around the Stade as Aaron Smith and his fellow All Blacks give a seriously impassioned haka.
Smith looked emotional. Johnny Sexton takes a deep breath, might have been a touch moved himself.
It’s time, ladies and gentlemen!
1′ – IRL 0-0 NZ: Wayne Barnes sounds his whistle and Ireland’s captain gets us up and running at the Stade de France.
1′ – IRL 0-0 NZ: Early pen to New Zealand in their own 22′ as Andrew Porter loses his footing while competing for the ball in a ruck.
Richie Mo’unga finds a poor touch and New Zealand launch their first strike. Ireland swallow it up and New Zealand kick the ball high inside their own territory. A couple of bobbles, New Zealand scrum.
2′ – IRL 0-0 NZ: Ireland concede a penalty for wheeling the scrum.
Irish fans don’t like it, nor does Andrew Porter.
On replay, looked the correct call.
8′ – IRL 0-3 NZ: All Blacks stage a 30-phase assault in the Irish 22′. Huge, huge defensive stand by Ireland.
It ends, though, with a New Zealand penalty as Beirne is pinged for not rolling away. Beirne unlucky as he didn’t seem to be interfering with the ball.
The ABs went straight after James Lowe with a bomb when they had advantage but Will Jordan couldn’t take it over his head.
New Zealand slot the penalty for three from short range.
9′ – IRL 0-3 NZ: Ireland win their first pen near halfway as Ardie Savea is pinged off his feet.
Crowd goes nuts as Sexton points to touch.
They win an untidy lineout just outside the New Zealand 5′ and go wide left — but good defensive pressure by Jordan and Keenan’s offload towards Lowe loops into touch.
12′ – IRL 0-3 NZ: All Blacks bringing serious line-speed, here, and forcing Irish inaccuracies.
It’s been a good start by Ian Foster’s side.
13′ – IRL 0-6 NZ: Leicester Fainga’anuku wins a jackal penalty on halfway after Caelan Doris was stopped in his tracks.
Doris has been blasted backwards on his two carries — he’s not used to that, but it’s an illustration of how New Zealand are defending.
Jordie Barrett lets fly with a shot at goal from halfway and draws it back around from left to right, through the sticks.
New Zealand by six!
17′ – IRL 0-6 NZ: Ireland finally punch a hole as Mack Hansen feeds Gibson-Park and sends him deep into All Black territory.
Ireland’s attack breaks down on the 5′, however, as Gibson-Park is caught on his own ball at the base of a ruck.
New Zealand clear to just outside the 22 and then turn Ireland over with another jackal penalty.
Ireland not able to match the All Blacks’ ferocity at the moment.
19′ – IRL 0-13 NZ: Wow. New Zealand shred Ireland for the first try of the game, finished off by Leicester Fainga’anuku.
It started with a wonderful chip and chase by Beauden Barrett, who got clattered by James Lowe but retained possession.
New Zealand then swept left and create a wonderful score for their left wing. Slick, fast, almost inevitable.
The conversion from the left-hand touchline is good.
Trouble!
22′ – IRL 3-13 NZ: Sexton slots Ireland’s first points after Hugo Keenan was taken out by Shannon Frizell.
24′ – IRL 3-13 NZ: Ireland win another penalty as New Zealand go off their feet.
Sexton prods them into the All Blacks’ 22′.
24′ – IRL 3-13 NZ: Shannon Frizell pinches the Irish lineout. Disaster.
The All Blacks’ clearance, though, is half-charged down, and a spell of Irish pressure comes to nothing.
28′ – IRL 10-13 NZ: There it is!
Ireland get up and running and it’s their player of the tournament so far, Bundee Aki, with a wonderful finish!
A spell of Irish possession with serious bite. They go wide right in the New Zealand 22′, Lowe floats a pass to Aki, and he steps off his right and sends a couple of Kiwi defenders for chips.
Sexton converts. Ireland are back in it!
31′ – IRL 10-13 NZ: New Zealand fashion another big opportunity with a beautiful Mo’unga chip over the top, gathered by Savea.
Caelan Doris says ‘no’. A huge jackal penalty win in his own 22′!
32′ – IRL 10-18 NZ: The Irish lineout is falling apart and it’s led to a second New Zealand try.
Andy Farrell’s side lose another put-in and Jordan kicks a wonderful 50-22.
New Zealand punch at the line and eventually create an overlap right. Savea dives over — and it’s a two-score game again.
Conversion, this time, is wide right.
37′ – IRL 10-18 NZ: Nice break by Mack Hansen and his offload to Gibson-Park is deliberately knocked on by Aaron Smith.
He gets yellow.
Ireland penalty in the New Zealand half. They go to the line!
38′ – IRL 10-18 NZ: Ireland win a shortened lineout and then win another penalty.
Sexton chips it into touch on the 5′.
39′ – IRL 17-18 NZ: A HUGE SCORE BY JAMISON GIBSON-PARK!
The Irish maul is stopped and the scrum-half snipes off first phase. He scoots through a small gap and uses his momentum to place the ball over the line!
Sexton converts.
Somehow, we’ve got a one-score game!
Wow. The toughest 40 minutes Ireland have had since the first test in New Zealand 18 months ago.
So much went wrong, but it’s a testament to their character that they trail by only one at the break!
Catch you in 15.
41′ – IRL 17-18 NZ: Right, here we go: 40 minutes that will go a long way toward defining an era!
If these updates stop at any point, just know I’ve likely keeled over — and honestly, leave me be.
Let’s see if Ireland can get the job done here against a proper All Blacks side who have more than matched them so far.
41′ – IRL 17-18 NZ: Ireland’s first lineout of the second half is on the halfway line, and it’s taken by O’Mahony.
They go left but a Mack Hansen kick through is gobbled up pretty much on the gain-line. Their ball, now, near halfway.
44′ – IRL 17-18 NZ: Brilliant recovery by Hansen who wins a 50-22 with a speculative kick downfield!
Great take by Henderson — and Gibson-Park booms up a constestable. O’Mahony against Mo’unga! And O’Mahony just about knocks it on…
New Zealand scrum on their own 5′.
46′ – IRL 17-18 NZ: SO CLOSE FOR IRELAND! A good spell of pressure and Mack Hansen produces a wonderful crossfield kick towards Sheehan — but it just bounces a fraction too high for the hooker! Fingertips and into touch.
New Zealand scrum, again, just outside their 5′.
49′ – IRL 17-18 NZ: New Zealand win a second scrum penalty. Porter pinged again, his hips coming out. Frustrating one.
52′ – IRL 17-18: Incredible stuff from both sides. New Zealand had Ireland under the pump for multiple phases before Porter stole a ball and Ireland countered 50 metres.
In the end, though, Savea locks on for a jackal penalty in his own 22′.
Unreal scramble defence by New Zealand, there.
Tadhg Furlong replaced by Finlay Bealham here.
53′ – IRL 17-25 NZ: It’s an All Blacks special, and that’s a dagger blow.
New Zealand lineout in their own half. Richie Mo’unga breaches Ireland’s defence off first phase. And they’re gone.
Mo’unga feeds Will Jordan and you know the rest.
An electrifying All Blacks score, and with the successful conversion, the lead is back to eight.
Ah, that’s an absolute killer!
56′ – IRL 17-25 NZ: Mack Hansen’s race is run. He’s replaced by Jimmy O’Brien having possibly aggravated his calf injury.
He seemed to do it in an accidental collision with Mo’unga.
Ireland have a lineout on the All Blacks’ 22′.
57′ – IRL 17-25 NZ: Gibson-Park’s skip pass is intercepted by a diving All Black. Poor call. New Zealand clear to halfway.
58′ – IRL 17-25 NZ: Ireland win a penalty on the New Zealand 10′.
Sexton points to the posts. Ireland need this — take it back to one score and get something from their second-half efforts so far.
59′ – IRL 17-25 NZ: Wow. Sexton misses it. That’s a bad one. And it’s kind of illustrative of this game so far.
Jack Conan and Joe McCarthy on here for Van der Flier and Henderson.
61′ – IRL 17-25 NZ: Murray on for Gibson-Park.
Ireland having a lot of possession here but they’re being smothered by brilliant New Zealand D.
63′ – IRL 17-25 NZ: Keenan eventually punctures the New Zealand line! And Ireland win a penalty on the Kiwi 5′.
Sexton prods it into touch.
64′ – IRL 17-25 NZ: IRELAND GO TO THE MAUL AND THEY MARCH TOWARDS THE LINE AND WAYNE BARNES AWARDS THE PENALTY TRY!
IRELAND ARE BACK IN IT AGAIN!
New Zealand are down to 14, as well, with Codi Taylor sent to the bin for collapsing the maul!
65′ – IRL 24-25 NZ: New Zealand win a penalty at the scrum once again, despite having a man disadvantage.
God, that’s so deflating.
They’re going for the sticks with Jordie Barrett, right-hand side and just outside the Irish 10′…
And he pushes it left!
This one is on a knife-edge.
68′ – IRL 24-25 NZ: An unbelievable take by Keenan in his own territory but Conor Murray is pinged for pulling an All Black off the ball.
Daft penalty, really, and New Zealand get an immediate second chance to stretch their lead.
This time, Jordie Barrett splits the posts.
New Zealand by four.
71′ – IRL 24-28 NZ: Sexton gathers a kick and makes a half-break before offloading to Murray.
A speculative kick through by Murray is taken by Jordan, but Aki wins a jackal penalty in NZ territory!
72′ – IRL 24-28 NZ: My goodness — Ireland get over the line but are held up! Unbelievable defence by Jordie Barrett, of all people, who holds up Rónan Kelleher.
And from the resulting goal-line drop-out, Caelan Doris drops the ball — through sheer exhaustion. That is a huge swing. A huge swing.
76′ – IRL 24-28 NZ: New Zealand managing this period unbelievably well.
A Beauden Barrett drop-goal — way off target — leads to an Ireland 22′. But it’s claimed by New Zealand.
79′ – IRL 24-28 NZ: Ireland ball, 18 phases. On the New Zealand 10′.
82′ – IRL 24-28 NZ: 30 phases.
82′ – IRL 24-28 NZ: New Zealand win the jackal penalty.
Game over.
In bits.
