Awesome All Blacks smash Ireland

Kiwis take the game to new level at Lansdowne Road

New Zealand added new meaning to the word "awesome" when they hammered Ireland at Lansdowne Road on Saturday, scoring a convincing 45-7 win in the second match on their way to a possible "grand slam".  The tourists outscored the Irish by five tries to one.

New Zealand changed 15 players from the team that hammered Wales.  The changed team duly hammered Ireland, and the score would have been bigger had New Zealand not become just a little sloppy -- well, for them -- in the second half while Ireland burst into late life.

In fact the second half was not all that bad for Ireland -- just two tries to one, but the match as a contest was over by half-time.

New Zealand were simply better in every aspect of play -- the passing, the positioning, the kicking, the scrummaging, the tackling.  In anything that was obvious they were better.  In fact the All Black scrummaging finally buried the myth that said they could not scrum by shoving Ireland back metres on occasion.

The All Blacks really are the best around, and the clean sweep remains a distinct possibility.

After the fire, the sad North Terrace looked like a ravaged part of Baghdad.  This time the All Blacks had the last word in the pre-match ceremonies, for they performed their haka just before the kick-off.

Ronan O'Gara kicked off with the northwester behind Ireland, but the wind mattered not a bit as New Zealand dominated a one-sided half -- oh, except for a short burst of Irish attack just before the break.

The period of attack took them to the New Zealand line util Johnny O'Connor was tackled out right at the corner by Nick Evans.  Ireland won the ball off New Zealand at the line-out and attacked again.  New Zealand were penalised, five metres from their line and kickable, but Ireland opted to tap and play.  But it all fizzled out when O'Gara grubbered into the New Zealand in-goal and Leon MacDonald touched it down.

New Zealand dropped out.  Ireland got possession and the All Blacks were penalised, but O'Gara kicked the penalty dead, two mistakes in quick succession by the experienced fly-half.

Those were Ireland's best opportunities.  They came when New Zealand led 18-0 with another goal just before the break to make it 25-0.

Ireland actually started with the clear intent to spread the ball wide, creating a wonderful overlap -- All Black style -- for Tommy Bowe, but the Irish ball dried up as the calm, composed New Zealanders took charge.

In 1905 a journalist was praising the way the 15 New Zealanders played with the ball in hand.  He wanted to say that it was as if they were all backs.  A typing error made it All Blacks, hence the nickname.  The way the 2005 All Blacks played it was as if they were all backs -- 15 superb athletes with the confidence to run and pass.

Their first try was a matter of exquisite simplicity.  From a scrum Mose Tuiali'i went to the right and popped a hanging pass into the air.  Muscular, socks below bulging calves, Sitiveni Sivivatu burst onto the ball in midfield and simply strolled the 20 metres or so to the posts to plant the first try.  Nick Evans, whose boot was nigh impeccable on the sunny afternoon, converted.

The All Blacks ran freely -- prop Tony Woodcock on the break, Doug Howlett over from the right to play on the left, Leon MacDonald dummying and running -- and so on.

Sturdy scrum-half Piri Weepu got the second try, again from a scrum, this time after Ma'a Nonu had made the running.

When Evans kicked a penalty goal, the score was 15-0, the winning margin a century before, but not only 26 minutes had passed.

After another Evans penalty, Tuiali'i had a dummying run past three Irishmen down the right touch-line before giving to MacDonald.  The fullback gave to Sivivatu who ran comfortably straight for the posts.  Evans converted and the half-time score was 31-0.

New Zealand had chances to score tries, notably when the ball skidded into touch from Howlett's boot.

When the All Blacks attacked, wing Anthony Horgan intercepted but he did not get far before new young lock, Jason Eaton caught him from behind.

Then came a disappointing moment in view of all the controversy and emotion which emanated from the tackle that injured Brian O'Driscoll in the first Lions Test earlier in the year.  This time it was Nonu who lifted Gordon D'Arcy off his feet and the Irish centre came down heavily.

The Irish were cross and got their paddies up and got struck in.  They played some of their best rugby in the match from now on.  But it's not easy to score against the All Blacks and the visitors came back at them.

The television match official was able to advise that Howlett had put his right toes on the line in the act of scoring and then that Nonu had nudged the ball forward off his left thigh in trying to score what would have been a remarkable try.

Ireland were attacking but the ball fell free.  The powerhouse centre darted onto the ball and footed it ahead.  Surprisingly fast for such a prop-like man, he chased and got the ball swerving to his right as four Irishmen closed in.  Straightening he grubbered for the line, diving to collect it as he went over.  It took the television match official lots of looks and serious consideration before deciding that he had knocked on in grounding the ball.

New Zealand put pressure on Ireland who bravely tried to run out of deep defence, but a knock-on nearly led to a try to Howlett but O'Gara saved, conceding a five-metre scrum.

Then the All Blacks swept left.  Over from the right Howlett cut through, handed off D'Arcy and scored.  Evans converted.  38-0.

Just after this penalties powered the willing Irish towards the New Zealand line.  Horgan actually got over but Nonu held him up.  Murphy looked about to score when he lost the ball forward at the line.  Instead the All Blacks did the scoring.

Howlett got his second try through D'Arcy, this time going right and enjoying the benefit of sweet passing.  Evans converted and with five minutes left New Zealand led 45-0.

Ireland attacked and battered at the All Black line with men like Horgan, D'Arcy, O'Connor and replacement David Humphreys brave till prop Marcus Horan got the ball down on the line near the posts.  Humphreys converted and the final whistle went.

Man of the Match:  Anthony Horgan tried and was the most effective Irishman but really all the honours belong to the likes of Leon MacDonald, Doug Howlett, Nick Evans, Piri Weepu, Mose Tuiali'i, Tony Woodcock and our man-of-the-match ubiquitous Richie McCaw.

Moment of the match:  It must be Ma'a Nonu's burst.

Villain of the Match:  It was generally an orderly match but Ma'a Nonu's tackle, especially in the context of what has gone on in recent times, made him our villain.

The scorers:

For Ireland:
Try:  Horan
Con:  Humphreys

For New Zealand:
Tries:  Sivivatu 2, Weepu, Howlett 2
Cons:  Evans 4
Pens:  Evans 4

The teams:

Ireland:  15 Geordan Murphy, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Gordon D'Arcy, 12 Shane Horgan, 11 Anthony Horgan, 10 Ronan O'Gara (David Humphreys, 75), 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Denis Leamy, 7 Johnny O'Connor, 6 Simon Easterby, 5 Malcolm O'Kelly (Matt McCullough, 65), 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 John Hayes (Simon Best, 65), 2 Shane Byrne (Neil Best, 76), 1 Marcus Horan.
Unused replacements:  16 Rory Best, 20 Kieran Campbell, 22 Girvan Dempsey.

New Zealand:  15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Ma'a Nonu, 12 Aaaron Mauger, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Piri Weepu (Jimmy Cowan, 65), 8 Mose Tuiali'i, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Sione Lauaki, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Jason Eaton, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu (Andrew Hore, 65), 1 Tony Woodcock (Saimone Taumoepeau, 65).

Replacements:  18 Carl Hayman, 19 Chris Jack, 20 Rodney So'oialo, 22 Mils Muliaina.

Referee:  Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Touch judges:  Stuart Dickinson (Australia), Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
Television match official:  Roy Maybank (England)