rewrite this title Nations Championship – New Zealand 40-21 Ireland: Ruthless All Blacks prove too strong for off-colour visitors at Eden Park

Patrick Tuipulotu, Ardie Savea, Will Jordan, Asafo Aumua, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown score tries as New Zealand’s All Blacks snuff out Ireland at Eden Park in Nations Championship; Ireland score through Jack Conan, Joe McCarthy, Hugo Keenan but come away with nothing

A ruthless All Blacks display ensured they will end their home block of rugby’s inaugural Nations Championship with three wins from three, after emphatically beating Ireland 40-21 at Eden Park.

With Ireland shorn of 12 players through injury, their performance left a lot to be desired, with their attack particularly poor and lacking in zip or threat.

Defensively Andy Farrell’s side also conceded six tries, with lock Patrick Tuipulotu, No 8 Ardie Savea, wing Will Jordan, hooker Asafo Aumua, full-back Damian McKenzie and replacement Anton Lienert-Brown all crossing for New Zealand, who were fortunate not to lose flanker Luke Jacobson to a first-half red card for a dangerous clearout.

Ireland scored three tries through No 8 Jack Conan, lock Joe McCarthy and full-back Hugo Keenan, narrowing to 14-7 late in the first half, and within 14 points twice in the second, but they couldn’t grab a fourth score to at least leave with a bonus-point.

Instead, Ireland’s errors – plentiful in the contest – were preyed upon and exposed in a disappointing finish to the visitors’ season.

Dave Rennie’s selections bore early fruit as the repositioned Tupou Vaa’i made a blistering start at blindside flanker and the new second row of Tuipulotu and Josh Lord combined for the first try ​on 15 minutes.

A strong carry by Vaa’i on the right shredded Ireland’s defence, and Tuipulotu latched ⁠onto a pass from Lord to thunder over the line.

Lock Patrick Tuipulotu dived over for the first try of the contest in the 15th minute

Less than ⁠10 minutes later, New Zealand doubled the lead, with Savea breaking from the back of a scrum near the try-line past poor Irish defence for their second.

All Blacks momentum stalled when loose ‌forward Jacobson earned a yellow card and off-field review for a clean-out to the head of a prone Josh van Der Flier with a tucked arm. To huge surprise, the review did not bring an upgraded red card for the incident.

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea crashed over for their second try past poor Irish defence

Ireland rallied through their forwards and rumbled over the line, with a charging Conan crashing over from two metres out, taking a fizzed pass out of a ‌ruck from scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park.

Ireland’s joy turned to despair two minutes later as Jordan scooped up an errant pass inside the Irish 22 from the restart and cantered over for his sixth try of the season – Stuart McCloskey and Sam Prendergast seeming to cross wires.

Just after Ireland got within seven point, Will Jordan gladly accepted a gift of a try from the restart

Aumua made it four tries for the hosts, when a TMO review showed he planted the ball on the chalk near the right post on the cusp of half-time.

Lock McCarthy delivered the spark Ireland badly ⁠needed early in the second half, doing well to ground over the line under the posts, thanks in ​part to a helpful latch by captain Dan Sheehan.

Again, the All Blacks hit back ​quickly with pace and unrelenting pressure.

With quick hands shifting the ball to the left, fly-half Ruben Love ​was stopped a foot from the line but fullback McKenzie scooped up the recycled ball and popped it ⁠over.

Ireland’s attack proved poor on the day, lacking zip and threat and filled with errors

Ireland again closed within two converted tries after the hour-mark, with Keenan crossing unmarked at the left corner following another forwards-led assault.

The All Blacks had the last reply, though, as a Jordan offload found Lienert-Brown, who finished off Ireland with a sixth ⁠try in the final minute.

Farrell laments Ireland’s ‘inaccuracy’ and ‘lack of flow’

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell said post-match:

“Inaccurate is the word. Our continuity, we just weren’t flowing for all sorts of reasons, whether that be discipline, spilt ball, throwing the ball into touch etc.

“The character and fight is there for all to see, and we saw that against Australia as well.

“But you cannot make so many errors against a quality side like New Zealand.

“When injuries occur, it’s someone else’s opportunity. It’s priceless for us with what’s coming over the next 15 months.”

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell lamented his side’s errors and poor attack

McKenzie: Our most physical Test of summer – awesome to come out with tough win

Player of the match Damian McKenzie said post-match:

“A tough Test match. Ireland came out strong, and we knew we had to start well.

“We had to keep at our work, and the second half was still a grind. The Irish boys are a tough side.

“We had to work really hard for our points in the second half. Awesome to come away with a tough Test win.

“These Tests get more physical every week.”