Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Seven-try All Blacks crush Ireland to set up England semi-final clash

Jordie Barrett scores New Zealand's seventh try in their hammering of Ireland (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Aaron Smith’s two tries drove the merciless New Zealand a step closer to an unprecedented third-straight World Cup title with a 46-14 quarter-final victory over Ireland.

ADVERTISEMENT

Beauden Barrett, Codie Taylor, Matt Todd, George Bridge and Jordie Barrett all bagged scores too as the relentless All Blacks booked a semi-final showdown with Eddie Jones’ England in Yokohama next Saturday.

Back-to-back champions New Zealand have not tasted World Cup defeat for 4,397 days, since their 20-18 last-eight loss to France in 2007. Now only two more victories stand between head coach Steven Hansen’s men and a third global crown in a row.

Error-strewn Ireland were left to count the cost of a seventh quarter-final defeat in nine World Cup tournaments, a Robbie Henshaw score and a penalty try offered scant consolation.

And yet the one piece of history Schmidt most craved will forever remain tantalisingly out of reach. Ireland’s wait for a first World Cup semi-final inches onto 32 years of frustration, and now there is nothing Schmidt can do about it.

(Continue reading below…)

Ireland were blown away 43-20 by Argentina in the 2015 Cardiff quarter-final, Schmidt’s injury-ravaged men savaged by the merciless Pumas. Four years on, Schmidt and Ireland had all their big guns on display, but no arsenal was enough to gun down the masterful All Blacks.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ireland beat the All Blacks for the first time ever in Chicago in 2016, then again in Dublin in November. But Schmidt’s men peaked a year too soon, sweeping the board last term with the 2018 Grand Slam and that home victory over New Zealand.

Henshaw’s poor knock-on on first-phase ball off a lineout under minimal pressure set the tone for an error-ridden night for the Irish. The ever-clinical All Blacks ground straight upfield, and scrum-half Smith sniped home with ease.

Sexton went for broke trying to punt a halfway line penalty to the corner, only for Mo’unga to leap acrobatically and tap the ball back into play.

New Zealand took another gift, gleefully racing back on the attack – with Sevu Reece drifting off his wing to ghost into acres of space in the outside centre channel. George Bridge was hauled down just shy of the line, but again Smith wriggled home.

ADVERTISEMENT

Another poor Irish knock-on in contact spoiled the latest promising platform, and Schmidt’s rattled men started to blink. Ireland came again, but Sexton saw the ball dislodged cheaply attempting to shift onto Kearney. Mo’unga fly-hacked on, Beauden Barrett raced clear of all the cover – and dotted down the third score, just past the half-hour.

Ireland found time to grind into the All Blacks’ 22 at the death of the half, desperately flailing to put points on the board. But just when a first score of the match inched into sight, Peter O’Mahony hit a ruck shoulder-first, conceding a penalty and ending the half.

Nothing changed after the interval, New Zealand quickly onto the front foot and maximising that dominance. Kieran Read’s pop off the ground handed hooker Taylor a walk-in for the fourth try, and replacement Todd thundered home just past the hour after
a fine crossfield kick set Reece on the run.

Ireland rallied once a raft of replacements had joined the fray, with Henshaw bagging a try, at the second attempt. The Leinster star had knocked on moments earlier when attempting to dot down for a try but redeemed himself slightly by powering over from a five-metre scrum.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

New Zealand vs England your first semi-final. #RugbyWorldCup #NZLvsIRL

A post shared by RugbyPass (@rugbypass) on

New Zealand hit back without delay, Bridge crossing in a flash after Ardie Savea fed Dane Coles and the replacement hooker popped on to the young winger. Ireland scored again with a penalty try when Todd was sin-binned for shoulder-charging the whitewash-bound CJ Stander.

Jordie Barrett grabbed the last word, however, crossing in the right corner. New Zealand wrestled the last laugh at the last two World Cups, and could so easily do the same again in Japan.

– Press Association 

WATCH: Former Australian international Matt Giteau sat down with RugbyPass in the latest episode in the Rugby World Cup Memories series

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
SK 19 minutes ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

The way they are defending is sometime pathetic to be honest. Itoje is usually on the inside of the rush and he is paired with a slower tight forward. Unable to keep up with the rush we have seen the line become disconnected on the inside where the big boys are. How many times have we seen Earl rush past the first receiver almost into no mans land covering no attacker. It looks like a system without any guidance. Tome Wright, Ikitau and a number of Wallabies went back to this soft centre as did Williams, Jordan and several others. Also when the line is broken the multiple lines of defence seems to be missing. The rush is predicated on a cover and recovery system with multiple lines of defence but with England you dont see it any more. Fitness and conditioning seems to be off as well as players are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the rush. Felix Jones has left a huge hole. The whole situation was and is a mess. Why they insist on not letting him go and having him work remotely is beyond me. Its leading to massive negative press and is a hot button issue thats distracting from the squad. Also the communication around Jones and his role has been absolute rubbish and is totally disjointed. While some say he is working remotely and playing a role others are saying theres been no contact. His role has not been defined and so people keep asking and keep getting different answers. England need a clean break from him and need to start over. Whatever reason for his leaving its time to cut the rope before the saga drags the whole Borthwick regime down. As for Joe El Abd well good luck to him. He is being made to look like an amateur by the whole saga and he is being asked to coach a system thats not his and which has been perfected and honed since 2017 by Nienaber, Jones, Erasmus and Co and which was first started by White in 2004. He is literally trying to figure out a system pioneered by double world cup winning coaches at the highest level and coach it at the same time. Talk about being on a hiding to nothing.

24 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Despite defeat in Paris, the real reason the All Blacks are feeling upbeat Despite defeat in Paris, the real reason the All Blacks are feeling upbeat
Search