New Zealand v Ireland LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Ireland make history by winning deciding Test
Follow reaction as Ireland make history by beating the All Blacks in a titanic series decider
A courageous Ireland held off a fierce All Blacks fightback to claim an epic 32-22 win in the series-deciding third test in Wellington on Saturday.
Beaten in the opening test at Eden Park, Ireland completed rare back-to-back victories over New Zealand following their win in the second match at Dunedin.
It was not only a first series victory in New Zealand for the Irish but the first time the All Blacks have lost a series on home soil since 1994.
Josh van der Flier, Hugo Keenan and Robbie Henshaw all crossed in the first half as the visitors surged into a 22-3 lead but the All Blacks hit back and got to within three points. But Rob Herring’s try 15 minutes from time proved decisive as Andy Farrell led his men to an historic triumph.
Follow live reaction from New Zealand vs Ireland in the series decider, below:
Team News - England
England have also lost a couple of key figures ahead of the decider. Maro Itoje and Sam Underhill both appeared to be knocked out during the win in Brisbane and are thus unavailable for this encounter. Lewis Ludlam is England’s third openside of the series after two impactful cameos, while Ollie Chessum faces the toughest test of his nascent international career, starting for the first time in the second row.
The other change is not enforced. A fine performance on his first start is not enough for Jack van Poortvliet to retain his place, with Eddie Jones believing that Danny Care is the right sort of scrum-half for the intense opening half-hour he is expecting.
Jack Willis was a late withdrawal from the squad last week, but his ribs are healed sufficiently for the Wasps flanker to again be named on the bench, which again includes both “apprentices”: Will Joseph and Henry Arundell. Nick Isiekwe takes Chessum’s spot as long-limbed four/six bench cover.
England XV: Genge, George, Stuart; Chessum, Hill; Lawes (c), Ludlam, B Vunipola; Care, Smith; Freeman, Farrell, Porter, Nowell; Steward.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, M Vunipola, Heyes, Isiekwe, Willis; Van Poortvliet, Joseph, Arundell.
Team News - Australia
A bruising series means Dave Rennie has tested rather more of his squad than he might have hoped. The Australia head coach has lost as many as four full-back options to series-ending injuries in the first two Tests, so Reece Hodge and his thumping right boot earn a recall having been a notable exclusion from the original squad. Hunter Paisami is retained at thirteen even with Len Ikitau available again and on the bench, while scrum-half Nic White wins his 50th cap.
James Slipper swaps sides to start at loosehead with Allan Alaalatoa back to provide back-up to Taniela Tupou on the tight. Nick Frost starts for the first time in the second row, and Harry Wilson, somewhat surprisingly, makes his only appearance of the series. The Reds youngster is a player of real talent and promise, though Rennie is still figuring out where he best fits in the back row mix.
Among the replacements, Suliasi Vunivalu is set for a debut on the wing having been groomed into a Wallaby ever since switching codes from rugby league the end of 2020.
Australia XV: Slipper, Porecki, Tupou; Frost, Philip; Wilson, Hooper (c), Valetini; White, Lolesio; Koroibete, Kerevi, Paisami, Wright; Hodge.
Replacements: Fainga’a, Bell, Alaalatoa, Leota, Samu; McDermott, Ikitau, Vunivalu.
On to the second decider of the day!
Another famous day for Irish rugby, and we’ll have plenty more reaction to and analysis of their win in Wellington across The Independent over the next few days.
But the rugby continues apace on this Super Saturday of deciders, with a quick hop across the Tasman to the historic sights and scents of the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Australia and England are ready to conclude their own simmering series.
Romance and rancour add weight to England’s decider against Australia
The historic Sydney Cricket Ground will play host to closing chapter of England and Australia’s rediscovered rivalry
Ireland beat New Zealand in Wellington to secure series victory
Remarkable. This is an Irish side of history-makers, and they’ve done it again. For the first time since 1998 the All Blacks lose consecutive home Tests - and they have been beaten by a better side.
19 points is their biggest ever half-time deficit, and while that second half rally might just be enough to save Ian Foster his job for now, but New Zealand have been comfortably below their best in this series, continuing an extended rough patch. “We were out-coached,” the legendary Sean Fitzpatrick concludes on Sky Sports. “Have they got a team capable of winning the World Cup? On the evidence of what we’ve seen in the last two weeks, you would doubt that.”
The Rugby Championship begins on the first weekend of August - and New Zealand open with back-to-back Tests in South Africa. It does not get any easier.
And now Andy Farrell speaks having masterminded an historic series win
“This is a special group. To come over here and achieve what they have achieved, it won’t be done again knowing what is going to happen [with the likely revamp of the July tour schedule].
“This is probably the toughest thing to do in world rugby. We came over here with task in hand and went for it straight from the start. We said it was going to be the start of our World Cup year but I think it is a little bit bigger than that.
“They keep turning up and surprising me, certainly. They really do believe. After the first game, we got held up over the try line five times and they knew there was a better performance in them. These guys have won a lot of stuff and broke some records - this one will top it, I would have thought.
“It works both ways. We talked about not getting carried away with ourselves - we knew they were going to come back but we dusteed ourselves down and got back on task. The composure of the boys - they deserve everything they get.”
Triumphant skipper Johnny Sexton celebrates a famous win
“I bet you we had 4 million people at home up for breakfast, probably having a couple of pints. The effort was incredible. It is a very special day - we are playing against the best in the world, the very best, so to come down here and do it is very special.
“It starts with the main man, [Anndy Farrell], he has come in and changed some things, stuck with some older guys and got criticised, but it is all credit to him really.
“It means a lot now. In a year’s time when the World Cup starts it won’t mean anything, as we’ve learned before, and we will certainly enjoy tonight, and maybe a couple more days. But we have to keep improving - that’s what we have learned in the past.”
F/T: New Zealand 22-32 Ireland
Extraordinary. A series win for Ireland in New Zealand!
“We are extremely disappointed, gutted in fact,” a dejected Sam Cane reflects. “We didn’t put out the performance we so desperately wanted to, but we can’t take anything away from Ireland. They’ve been outstanding the last couple of weeks.
“It’s been incredible to play at home after the last couple of years and we are bloody sorry we couldn’t put the performance out there that [the crowd] deserve.
“Massive respect to Ireland. They’ve been class - they deserve their win tonight.”
Josh van der Flier reacts to Ireland’s series win
“It’s hard to tell right now but it is an incredible feeling. It’s the type of tour you want to be on, it doesn’t get much harder, and this was the goal coming out. Unbelievably proud of the group - we’ve had a great month out here.
“After the first Test it was pretty tough, but we knew we had it in us. All hte games we have lost in the last year or two are games we felt we didn’t perform as well as we could. We knew if we could perform as well as we could we would be close.
“To play for the country of Ireland means everything to us. It is what you strive for as a little kid. To be a part of a history-making group like this is special.
“We’ve a few weeks off so I’m sure there will be a few pints of Guinness had. The support has been incredible.”
Full time! New Zealand 22-32 Ireland
An enthralling series, and yet more history made by Ireland. For the first time in 28 years, the All Blacks have taste series defeat on their own turf, again beaten by a better Irish side who controlled proceedings, finding a last score through Rob Herring to push themselves out of sight as New Zealand began to roar back into it.
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