All Blacks 26
Ireland 13
By Liam Napier in Chicago
A belated and decisive final-quarter flourish exorcised the All Blacks’ demons in Chicago to preserve their quest to clinch a Grand Slam tour.
Returning to Chicago on Halloween weekend, nine years after their first loss to Ireland at the same Soldier Field venue, the All Blacks appeared spooked by the ghost of the past.
For much of this contest, the All Blacks produced an error-riddled and ill-disciplined performance.
Ireland were well short of their best, too, but they did enough to feast on the All Blacks’ mistakes and lead for 60 minutes.
Impact from the bench and set piece dominance proved telling, though, as the All Blacks burst into life to score three tries in the final quarter and blow Ireland away.
Wallace Sititi, Tamaiti Williams and Cam Roigard crossed in the final quarter, and Damian McKenzie injected much-needed spark, as the All Blacks found their mojo to assert their dominance, particularly at the scrum and lineout, to notch their third straight win against Ireland, after victories in Dublin last November and in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final.
Success in the Windy City maintains the All Blacks’ quest for their first Grand Slam tour in 15 years as they leave Chicago for Edinburgh straight after this match to prepare for Scotland.
Ten tests into their season, emerging from successive wins against the Wallabies and with a week-and-a-half to prepare for this match, the All Blacks were confident of clicking into gear against Ireland.
But for a long time, they instead resembled a clunky, rusty car parked in the garage too long.
Significant disruptions, as captain Scott Barrett and Jordie Barrett departed with injuries, didn’t help but the All Blacks will hope to grasp their clinical final-quarter dominance and replicate that for the remainder of their northern tour.
Ireland came into this match cold, having not played since their last Six Nations match in March and with head coach Andy Farrell rejoining the team for the first time this year after leading the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.
While elements of Ireland’s game were far from fluid, notably their misfiring lineout and with playmaker Jack Crowley failing to take his chance, for 60-odd minutes the All Blacks lacked direction and accuracy.
Eventually, though, they did adjust to find their cohesion to take their chances, exploit space and make Ireland look like an ageing side.
Ireland couldn’t hack the All Blacks pace, width and tempo in the final quarter.
After struggling with their finishing under Scott Robertson, the All Blacks will seize confidence from their ability to regroup and recover to pull off a comeback victory against one of their great modern-day rivals.
Other than their influential contributors from the bench, Quinn Tupaea, Caleb Clarke, Fabian Holland and Josh Lord, the latter two inexperienced locks digging deep, were among the All Blacks’ best.
These two teams were attempting to sell rugby to the American market.
As another 61,841 sold-out crowd at Soldier Field waited with anticipation, a 52-minute first half that featured long, unnecessary stoppages and frequent mistakes produced a painful, pedantically officiated, low-quality spectacle.
The All Blacks lost captain Scott Barrett (third minute) and Jordie Barrett to injuries inside the scrappy opening quarter.
After initially attempting to play on, Jordie Barrett succumbed to his knee injury to be replaced by Leicester Fainga’anuku, with Tupaea shifting from centre to his more accustomed second five-eighths role.
Ireland suffered a serious setback, too, when Tadhg Beirne copped a yellow card that was then upgraded to a red for a shoulder to Beauden Barrett’s head. The red card was on the harsh side, as Beirne had little time to react after a forward pass and there was a low degree of force.
Despite the off-field review of the incident, the officials took an age to show Beirne a yellow card, bringing the match to a grinding halt.
The All Blacks broke Ireland open on the edges at times but they battled to generate quick ruck ball and failed to capitalise on their 20-minute red card advantage.
Ireland, in fact, won the 20 minutes while one man short to hold a 10-7 halftime lead.
Reduced to 14 men, Ireland showed intent by turning down a shot at goal and kicking to the corner. When Tadhg Furlong crashed over, Ireland had their reward.
Fainga’anuku made an immediate impact from centre with his powerful carries proving difficult to contain. His first break and offload to Will Jordan laid on the All Blacks’ first try for Ardie Savea. Little else, though, went right for the All Blacks before their final-quarter surge.
While the All Blacks disrupted Ireland’s lineout without Scott Barrett calling the shots, they struggled on their own throw. On one particular occasion, after Beauden Barrett kicked to the corner, the All Blacks had their throw picked off on Ireland’s line to squander a prime attacking chance.
Eventually, though, the All Blacks found their second-half flow.
With more ventures in the coming years planned for Chicago, they will happily return to this venue.
As they now trek north, Scott Barrett’s injury will be of particular concern, with fellow locks Tupou Vaa’i and Patrick Tuipulotu already ruled out of this tour.
All Blacks 26 (Ardie Savea, Tamaiti Williams, Wallace Sititi, Cam Roigard tries; Beauden Barrett 3 cons)
Ireland 13 (Tadhg Furlong try; Jack Crowley con, 2 pens)
HT: 7-10
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.