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:
TRY! SOUTH AFRICA 10-0 Wales (Handre Pollard try, 15 minutes)
And his fly-half completes the job! Hendrikse was hasty in tapping just as Matt Carley appeared set to give Wales a final warning about their scrum-time conduct, but his gamble pays off.
The scrum-half provides sharp service as the big bodies create craters up the centre. South Africa play wider, and Handre Pollard takes Hendrikse’s pass and burrows between two Welsh tacklers to dive over. Pollard adds the extra two.
South Africa 3-0 Wales, 13 minutes
Wales are penalised again and this time Jaden Hendrikse taps and goes quickly! Wales somehow halt the little scrum-half, who passes the baton over to his forwards...
South Africa 3-0 Wales, 12 minutes
Pressure on Wales’ eight again and Gareth Thomas is penalised. Frans Malherbe is a great boulder of a man and he is winning the intial hit, turning Thomas in.
South Africa, unsurprisingly, fancy another heave-ho.
South Africa 3-0 Wales, 11 minutes
Six heads hit the deck as the two front rows struggle to keep their feet. The suggestion from all interested parties were that it would be tough to stay up at scrum time on a turf known to churn up.
South Africa 3-0 Wales, 10 minutes
Wales are marched back at a rate of knots on this occasion and South Africa have the advantage. Jasper Wiese bristles away in search of more, but is just about held.
Around the corner pile the forwards, with Wiese again carrying close to the posts. But it all goes awry, Handre Pollard running out of options and prodding meekly into the belly of a Welshman in front of him.
South Africa will scrum again.
South Africa 3-0 Wales, 9 minutes
A huge test for the Welsh front row as South Africa look to attack this scrum. The Springboks are perhaps fortunate that their lunge on set, which appears to unsteady things, results only in a reset rather than a free kick to the Welsh.
The front rows will try again.
No try! South Africa 3-0 Wales, 8 minutes
Just short? De Allende had kept his legs pumping and the timely arrival of Lukhanyo Am propelled him onwards, and while the suspicion is that the nose of the ball might just have brushed a painted blade of grass, there isn’t an angle that shows it.
The on-field call is no try - and it will stay that way. South Africa scrum five out.
Try? Damian de Allende looks to be just short, but this one is going upstairs to the TMO
South Africa’s maul had advanced to within a couple of metres, and a powerful surge from De Allende got the Springboks closer still. But did he place it over the line?
South Africa 3-0 Wales, 7 minutes
Damian Willemse claims and nearly scores! South Africa are getting such aerial joy, this time their full-back haring up on the chase and cutting beautiful shapes in the Cape Town air, beating a grounded Dan Biggar. Biggar holds on desperately to an ankle as Willemse eyes the line - and concedes the penalty as Willemse tries to release and go again. South Africa kick into the left corner, from where they’ll launch a mighty rumble.
South Africa 3-0 Wales, 6 minutes
This is an electric start from South Africa. Again they steal ball in the air and Eben Etzebeth stomps around Nick Tompkins, threatening to burn the centre on the outside. A stray pass ends the movement but Wales look rocked by this fast start.
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