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:
South Africa 17-14 Wales, 49 minutes
Delightful counter-attacking from Willie Le Roux, rolling back the years as he peels up the right touchline, chipping deftly beyond. Liam Williams hurries across to prevent his fellow full-back from completing a fine solo score.
Charged down! Eben Etzebeth gets his huge forearms in front of Kieran Hardy’s clearance and then drives Dan Biggar over his own line. Biggar somehow smuggles the ball away to a teammate, but back comes Le Roux.
PENALTY! South Africa 17-14 WALES (Dan Biggar penalty, 48 minutes)
40 out, but bang in front - nothing to particularly trouble Dan Biggar.
South Africa 17-11 Wales, 47 minutes
This is sloppy stuff from the Springboks. They first close the gap at the lineout and are free-kicked, before making a mess of their catch of Dan Biggar’s high bomb. To compound the error, a South African defender is offside. A broad grin spreads across the face of Alun Wyn Jones as Biggar lines up a shot at three more points.
South Africa 17-11 Wales, 45 minutes
A scrum penalty to Wales! Another feather in the cap of Sam Wainwright, who forces Trevor Nyakane to infringe...
And from the field. The entirety of the South African front row is going off, in fact, as the so-called “Bomb Squad” are introduced: on come messrs Marx, Kitshoff and Koch for Bongi Mbonambi, Nyakane and Frans Malherbe.
No try! South Africa 17-11 Wales, 44 minutes
Sharp interplay from South Africa and they strike back immediately!
Or do they? There’s a forward pass in the build-up, surely?...
Yes, there is. Brett Cronan has spotted it, as has Dan Biggar, and both the TMO and the Welsh captain make sure that Matthew Carley is aware of it - one rather more forcefully than the other.
A bit of a shame, because that was a lovely variation from South Africa - Lukhanyo Am had stepped in at scrum-half with Jaden Hendrikse hiding on the right wing. Am drove a lovely flat pass out to his scrum-half, who jinked by a defender and then popped back to his teammate - but Hendrikse’s hands rather pushed the ball forwards to Am, and the try is rightly chalked off.
PENALTY! South Africa 17-11 WALES (Dan Biggar penalty, 42 minutes)
Biggar duly knocks the penalty between the posts.
South Africa 17-8 Wales, 41 minutes
Immediate joy for Wales - Pieter-Steph du Toit holds on and squirms away from a Welsh jackaler on the floor, and Dan Biggar will have a chance to narrow the gap to six.
Second half
A pair of half-time changes for Wales: Dewi Lake and Sam Wainwright are on as Wayne Pivac looks to steady the front row, with Ryan Elias and Dillon Lewis not re-emerging.
Can they make an impact? It’ll be require a huge effort from Wales if they are to haul themselves back into this one.
H/T: South Africa 17-8 Wales
Neither side has been helped by the pitch: for it to churn up at scrum time is one thing, but a number of players have also looked unsure of their footing in the open field. It’s not helping things at the ruck, either - the breakdowns have been particularly messy at times. It isn’t a great look.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments