(From left): Ethan de Groot, Scott Barrett and Tyrel Lomax during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Ireland v New Zealand All Blacks quarter-final match at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on Saturday, October 14, 2023. Photo / Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
(From left): Ethan de Groot, Scott Barrett and Tyrel Lomax during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Ireland v New Zealand All Blacks quarter-final match at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on Saturday, October 14, 2023. Photo / Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
Gregor Paul in Paris
Maybe the first half wasn’t perfect, but in the last 40 minutes of their epic quarter-final, the All Blacks produced a defensive effort that was 15 months in the making, by almost perfectly executing a system that was built specifically with Ireland in mind.
Of all the things the All Blacks learned in their 2022 series defeat to Ireland, the most important was that their defensive system wasn’t good enough, tight enough or cohesive enough to beat the best teams.
The Irish exposed New Zealand in July last year as a team that offered up too much space, and who were vulnerable to any opponent who could get the ball wide and attack them close to the touchlines.
Ireland pulled the All Blacks this way and that a year ago - tormented them with their ability to play the ball out the back and bring captain Johnny Sexton back into play via his favoured looping run.
As All Blacks veteran halfback Aaron Smith, said: “That was one big thing we got from July last year is that defence that Ireland showed us in the last two tests - ours was not good enough, and we were not connected enough as a group.”
Despite copping a yellow card, Aaron Smith was a vital cog in the All Blacks' machine. Photo / Getty Images
It was a painful lesson for Ian Foster’s team - one that cost two assistants their jobs and which led to defence coach Scott McLeod rebuilding the defensive structure, all with the view of unveiling the finished product against Ireland in the World Cup quarter-finals.
There were signs that the All Blacks’ defence was reshaping and improving throughout the pool rounds.
But the ultimate test would be seeing how well the team could shut down Ireland. Would they be able to read an Irish attack that has only improved since last July by using variations of similar plays more subtly?
Would they be able to stop Ireland endlessly playing the ball out the back door to put Mack Hansen, James Lowe or Sexton - all of whom love attacking wide on arcing runs - into the sort of space they used to deadly effect in New Zealand?
Would a system designed specifically to beat Ireland prove to be well enough considered and then well enough executed to do what it was designed to do?
The answer was yes. An emphatic yes. “Ireland taught us a lesson at home [last year], and we had some shoddy defence when we were defending their outstanding attacking system,” said Jordie Barrett.
“We had some wide spaces, and they picked us off all game with their short passing.
“We were a lot tighter this game, and we were happy to let them get to the edges a bit more and put a bit of pressure on there.”
Jordie Barrett takes heavy contact against Ireland. Photo / Getty Images
It was clear the All Blacks took a bit of time to read Ireland as they needed to and execute their defence as they wanted to.
There was still a little too much space being given away down both wings, and Bundee Aki was able to waltz in for Ireland’s first try a little too easily.
But by the second half, the All Blacks were picking Ireland’s movements more instinctively, and they were good enough to get to the loop-runners early and hit them behind the gain line.
Time and again, Barrett in particular, but also Anton Lienert-Brown when he came off the bench, judged brilliantly when Ireland were going to throw the ball out the back door, and they didn’t miss with their tackles either.
It frustrated Ireland, made them a little panicky, and they lost some of their attacking shape, even though they were dominating possession.
But the ultimate test to New Zealand’s newfound defensive smarts was the way they successfully held Ireland out for 37 phases in the last three minutes.
In what was one of the most extraordinary endings to a World Cup test - any test - Ireland, befitting such a brave champion team, just kept coming, and New Zealand just kept tackling.
Not only did they keep tackling, though, they did so legally. They stayed onside, kept rolling away and gave referee Wayne Barnes no reason, no obvious moment, for him to do what he has done once before in a quarter-final of a World Cup hosted by France - and land the killer blow.
Barnes, much like both teams, was at the absolute top of his game, and the shrill blast of his whistle was only heard when he was sure that All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock had earned a legitimate turnover penalty.
“I think the most impressive thing was the control and mental resilience,” said Barrett.
“To not give away a penalty in 37 phases, and then [for] Sammy Whitelock, with 151 tests, to come up with a play like that, it was unbelievable. We have got a defence system there that Scott McLeod has built, basically for Ireland.
“We had to defend a lot tighter, their short passes, going out the back to Sexton - they just pick you off if you are a bit wide. Our system worked, and there was some great ticker in that last play.”
Gregor Paul is one of New Zealand’s most respected rugby writers and columnists. He has won multiple awards for journalism and has written several books about sport.
