Ireland score first win over All Blacks, end 111-year hoodoo

“It’s a bit mixed, firstly disappointed with the result and gutted but at the same time, proud to make my debut for the All Blacks and it’s a decent moment for myself and my family”, Barrett said.

The match is part of “The Rugby Weekend” which will also see the USA Eagles take on the New Zealand Maori on Friday, November 4 at Toyota Park.

They were first out in the second half looking like they were ready or work.

By the time Johnny Sexton added Ireland’s fourth try, the chants of “Ole, ole, ole”, Ireland’s great football anthem, echoed round the stunned stadium.

New Zealand’s 18-match winning streak deserved to be admired, but pundits and punters beyond these shores were starting to wonder whether it was due to All Black invincibility or opposition ineptitude.

Ireland punted the penalty to the corner, and drove flanker Murphy home.

To make things look even bleaker, Jonny Sexton departed the scene to be replaced by Joey Carbery, who in the cold light of the IL evening suddenly seemed a ludicrously callow stand-in at out-half. When the All Blacks scored three tries in 16 minutes to pull to within four points with 17 still left on the clock there was the feeling of having seen this one before.

“It’s a massive day to be Irish”, Rob Kearney said.

Ireland was forced to make a change in the 26th minute when Murphy was stretchered off with what looked like a knee injury.

Ireland had entirely bossed possession and territory in a hugely-impressive opening half-hour, and Murray scampered through for the third try. They did not merely try to hold on to their slender lead and pray to the rugby gods for salvation.

Hansen, meanwhile, refused to condemn the first half sin-binning of prop Joe Moody.

The All Blacks’ pace and power will be hard to stop in the closing stages, with Ardie Savea, Malakai Fekitoa and TJ Perenara to come off the bench. The scrum-half is way behind TJ Perenara in the current pecking order and was rightly hooked early in the second-half. Beauden Barrett missed his conversion but the Kiwis had answered right back.

Sexton was down getting treatment for hamstring as Ireland were awarded a penalty in front of the posts. No bother. 33-22.

Kieran Read (New Zealand) – “It’s fact and we certainly don’t want to be the first New Zealand team to lose to Ireland“.

All Blacks boss Steve Hansen has sprung a major surprise for his squad against Ireland in Chicago, naming stalwart blindside Jerome Kaino at lock. New Zealand also lost center Ryan Crotty in the same passage of play to what seemed a serious hamstring injury.

Joe Schmidt’s men outscored New Zealand by five tries to four en route to the victory, with Rory Best, CJ Stander, Conor Murray, Simon Zebo and Robbie Henshaw all going over at Soldier Field.

Everywhere else they were in trouble, conceding more than twice as many penalties, and unable to secure more than 57% of ball out of touch, as against Ireland’s 100%.

But New Zealand hit back immediately with the opening try of the game, George Moala finishing off after Waisake Naholo’s electrifying break.

Replacements: Taylor, Tu’ungafasi, Faumuina, S. Barrett, A. Savea, Perenara, Cruden, Fekitoa.