Rugby: Kiwi fans make touching sporting surrender at Irish pub

Ireland fans celebrate their team's 40-29 victory over the All Blacks in Chicago. Photo / Getty Images

The All Blacks, their supporters and even the New Zealand media have been bagged internationally for being arrogant by the likes of Sir Clive Woodward but there's at least one Irishman who will have none of that following a group of Kiwi fans' kind gesture.

Paul North, who runs the popular J.B.O'Reilly Irish pub in Perth, was moved to tears by a tribute from stalwart Kiwi fans, according to a report in the Irish Independent.

New Zealand fans laid their All Blacks flag at his front door with a sign which declared "Gotta Say - Bloody Brilliant."

"Their sportsmanship brought tears to my eyes. It was a very touching sporting surrender," said the 58-year-old father-of-three, originally from Wexford town.

"The match in Chicago could not be shown live because it was played at 4am local time but the game is being played on a continuous loop in my pub ever since.

"Our Kiwi customers have been great in their tributes to Ireland and the Australians are over the moon. It's overwhelming. Ireland is their second favourite team."

"We're going to keep the match on loop until Friday. And we've got tee-shirts printed with the slogan 'Green Is The New Black.'

"The players gave us a great win and they did it for the great Axel (Michael) Foley (former Irish international and Munster coach who recently died)."

North's pub manager, Dubliner Sinead Fitzpatrick, said: "The replays of the match in the pub have generated a fantastic atmosphere."

"But it's making all the Irish homesick.

"We've got a lot of Irish living here, a mixture of young and old. There's not as many Irish backpackers anymore.

"The Kiwis who drink in the pub have said Ireland fully deserved to win," said Fitzpatrick.