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The incredible defensive stat that saw the All Blacks beat Ireland
By Finn Morton
It might be a cliché but defence really does win championships, or in the All Blacks’ case it was the difference between staying alive at the Rugby World Cup and going home far too soon.
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With time up on the clock at Stade de France on Saturday evening, Ireland threw 37 phases of attack at the All Blacks as they fought desperately for what would’ve been the match-winning score. But there would be no fairytale ending for the Irish and captain Johnny Sexton.
Much to the delight of the All Blacks fans in attendance at the Parisian venue, veteran lock Sam Whitelock won a penalty at the breakdown. The All Blacks held on for a tense 28-24 win.
But in the wake of the victory – as New Zealanders continue to pinch themselves after the dream-like triumph – defensive coach Scott McLeod has revealed a staggering defensive stat that ultimately proved the difference against the world’s top-ranked side.
“We had to make 276 tackles last night and 100 of those were in the last quarter, and particularly in that last 37 phases. You know, the most we’ve had to make in this tournament, or attempt to make was 137 against Italy,” McLeod told reporters on Sunday.
“So, there’s a huge amount of care and a huge amount of ticker I guess, Kiwi ticker in you like, that we wanted to get the job done. I am really proud of our execution in that zone but also our decision-making.
“The ball wasn’t there to take a number of times and we had to wait for the moment and then execute really well. You know, Sam Whitelock put himself in the position twice to do that and so did Ardie [Savea] and we finally got it.
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“We finally got it after that 37th phase and the boys are really happy with that.”
Rugby fans from a small country at the bottom of the world let out a collective sigh of relief as the All Blacks lived to fight another day at the Rugby World Cup, and this relief quickly turned into euphoric jubilation.
New Zealand had sailed through uncharted waters in the leadup to the Test as they carried the underdogs tag into a quarter-final for the first time ever. Ireland were deserving of the ‘favourites’ moniker but it was always going to be close.
The All Blacks took the lead through a Richie Mo’unga penalty goal inside the opening 10 minutes, and a try to wing Leicester Fainga’anuku shortly after saw the New Zealanders extend their lead.
Ireland fought valiantly, and had a genuine chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at death, but after 276 tackles the All Blacks certainly deserved the win and all the plaudits that come their way.
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The All Blacks will play Argentina at the very same venue next week. New Zealand defeated Los Pumas 41-12 in Medoza in July but are expecting a confident team to come out firing in a southern hemisphere instalment of knockout rugby.
“The way they finished the game yesterday, they got off to a rough start, but the way they finished would have given them a huge amount of confidence to overcome Wales,” McLeod added.
“I guess a bit of a mantra that we’ve been talking about is who is the best team on the day.”
Wowee…lots of passion in the comments section.
Yo kiwis…lighten up …we won!
To the Irish…unlucky ..now you know what it like to expect to win every game..you’re a big bullseye…everyone is scheming to take you down. And by the way Wayne Barnes is not popular in nzright now…had a shocker apparently.
Turlough, both sets of my grand parents were Irish! They grew up hating each other because of their religious beliefs. . If that’s not arrogant… I don’t know what is. .
We grew up throwing Rugby Balls. . . They grew up throwing grenades. . .
They just like World Rugby. . .they were manipulated by POMS. . .
Billy Beaumont is a “corrupt” old prick.
The funniest thing was “watching the Royal family sitting next to him, while he’s being investigated for corruption”
Turlough “ No one cares if you were disappointed” Was that you Dry Lake?
You have to be a fkn Pom. . . Turlough means “Dry Lake” says it all really…… Sort of like ‘Empty Head. . .
Hey Turlough, it’s a web site, run by Poms. . .Lighten up!
You guys in the Northern Hemisphere are bit “Soft” If you harden up a bit you may win another World Cup.
New Zealand V South Africa Final and you will have to wait
4 More Years
The only reason the AB’s had to put on that massive 37 tackle defensive performance was that Aaron Smith stupidly kicked the ball away when there was no need too. When retaining possesion is paramount in those closing minutes the last thing you do is kick the ball back to the opposition ( especially Ireland ) .
We could easily have lost the Match because of that.
Thanks Pecos, a senior moment!
Having given that windup, The best Rugby Team I have ever seen was the 1971 Lions.
Northern Hemisphere are “Whingers” Whether they be Poms, Welsh, Irish, Scots or French. Sothern Hemisphere produce better players and better coaches.
8 World Cups - NZ 3, SA 3, AUST 1 and ENG 1 “Hello”
This glaring obvious Stat. pisses the Northern Hemisphere off, the game they invented, they are not that good at. They always have an “excuse” The Rugby World Cup has been going for 46 years and you have won 1.
You even have more Senior Players in your Rugby Gene Pool.
ENG 131K, IRE 25K, WALES 22k, SCOT 12K, FRANCE 124K, ITALY 15K.
NEW ZEALAND 28K. . . . . .
AUST 40K, FIJI 8K, SAM 8K Tonga 8k.
SOUTH AFRICA 113K.
Maybe if you stop “making excuses” and look at your “Attitude”
you may be able to WIN under pressure.
Farrell and Sexton, what a couple of “arrogant pricks” after the game.
Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa and England.
“Three wolves and a lamb discussing what they are going to have for dinner”
here we go…
Considering that some analysts on this site were telling us that NZ’s defensive system was their weakness this is a nice article to read. Those turnovers were pretty crucial for the ABs weren’t they?
A cynical penalty try after Ireland go across the line, not short of the line so there is no conversion attempt which would have given Ireland a chance at a drop goal as New Zealand would have to give us back the ball. Anti Irish Barnes is a scumbag. A nauseating individual
Wayne Barnes
Amazing defensive effort.