New Zealand 28-24 Ireland – All Blacks edge out gutsy Ireland in pulsating Rugby World Cup quarter-final

New Zealand held on in a pulsating Rugby World Cup quarter-final to deny Ireland in the tournament’s best game so far.

Both teams played stunning rugby for large periods, with the All Blacks clicking right from the start as they burst into an early lead.

The two teams traded blows as Leicester Fainga’anuku, Bundee Aki, Ardie Savea, Jamison Gibson-Park and Will Jordan all crossed for tries in a game where it took the very best attacking rugby to unlock two brutally good defences.

An Ireland penalty try and a second yellow card of the game for New Zealand gave the Irish hope, with four points in it as time ticked down.

But New Zealand survived an extraordinary spell of Irish possession that lasted more than 30 phases as they threw everything at that late score, falling agonisingly short to exit the tournament at the quarter-final stage once again.

No side deserved to lose what was a match befitting of the World Cup final.

Ireland are the world’s top-ranked team for a reason and they will replay this game in their heads over and over.

It took an extraordinary performance from a New Zealand team at their best to beat Ireland, but unfortunately Ireland’s long wait for a semi-final appearance goes on, and you have to feel incredibly sorry for this brilliant group of players.

Whoever won this match was always going to be huge favourites to win the semi against Argentina, and it would be a massive surprise not to see the All Blacks in the final from this point on. That could have been Ireland, and that will really, really hurt.

The New Zealand forward was phenomenal all night, putting in an incredible amount of work and getting his name on the scoreboard too.

He said after the match that he “didn’t really notice” his team going down to 14 men twice, but it took his sort of level of work-rate for those situations not to be punished more heavily by Ireland.

Ireland XV: Keenan 7; Hansen 7, Ringrose 8, Aki 9, Lowe 8; Sexton (capt) 8, Gibson-Park 7; Porter 6, Sheehan 7, Furlong 7, Beirne 8, Henderson 8, O’Mahony 8, Van der Flier 8, Doris 8. Replacements: Kelleher 7, Kilcoyne 7, Bealham 7, McCarthy 7, Conan 8, Murray 7

New Zealand XV: B Barrett 8; Jordan 8, Ioane 8, J Barrett 8, Fainga’anuku 8; Mo’unga 9, Smith 7; De Groot 8, Taylor 8, Lomax 8, Retallick 9, S Barrett 8, Frizell 8, Cane 9, Savea 9. Replacements: Newell 8, Whitelock 9, Papali’I 7, Lienert-Brown 7.

19’ TRY! IRELAND 0-11 NEW ZEALAND

The All Blacks are on it tonight and Beauden Barrett puts Ireland right on the back foot with a sublime chip and collect. It’s a moment of genius and the Irish never really recover as New Zealand put Faingaanuku over in the corner. The conversion is successful too, as a further blow to Ireland.

27’ TRY! IRELAND 10-13 NEW ZEALAND

Wow! Bundee Aki does something extraordinary, bursting through the All Blacks defensive line after collecting a long pass, stepping back inside, producing the big hand off and powering over. What a match! And it’s an easy conversion for Sexton too. Ireland are right back in this.

34’ TRY! IRELAND 10-18 NEW ZEALAND

Savea is hugging the touchline and New Zealand spread it wide to find him for another score. That was excellent rugby and this game is of the highest quality. The conversion is tough and it slides wide.

A deliberate knock-on after a Mack Hansen offload stops Ireland getting at the very least a line break and maybe more, so it’s a trip to the bin for Aaron Smith.

39’ TRY! IRELAND 17-18 NEW ZEALAND

Ireland kick for the corner twice in quick succession, and after setting up the maul from the second it’s Gibson Park who spins off the back, throws in the dummy and reaches over for a crucial Ireland score. And Sexton slots the conversion too. What a game!

53’ TRY! IRELAND 17-25 NEW ZEALAND

Simply sublime from Mo’unga, who makes a brilliant break and puts Barrett away for a score in the corner. And the conversion is good too from a wide angle to rub salt into Irish wounds.

61’ PENALTY MISSED! IRELAND 17-25 NEW ZEALAND

Sexton makes the decision to go for the posts and get the points difference down to a score, but he misses wide. The Irish veteran is furious with himself.

64’ PENALTY TRY! IRELAND 24-25 NEW ZEALAND

Ireland drive over the line and are illegally halted by New Zealand. It’s a penalty try and a conversion right under the posts and Ireland are right back in this once again. That penalty try was always likely to result in a yellow, and so it does, with Turner heading to the bin for ten crucial minutes.

68’ PENALTY! IRELAND 24-28 NEW ZEALAND

Contact off the ball gives Barrett an opportunity to make amends for that miss straight away and he does, bisecting the posts for three more points.

• Ireland’s record in Rugby World Cup quarter-finals is now played eight, lost eight.
• Will Jordan has scored 28 tries since making his Test debut 29 matches ago. Only Damian Penaud has scored more tries in Tier 1 rugby in that time.