New Zealand 40–21 Ireland: match report & highlights

Full-time: New Zealand 40 – 21 Ireland

New Zealand dominated this Nations Championship clash, securing a commanding victory over Ireland with a clinical display across eighty minutes. The All Blacks set the tone early, with Patrick Tuipulotu crossing in the opening quarter to establish their authority. Despite a yellow card for Luke Jacobson disrupting their rhythm momentarily, New Zealand maintained relentless pressure, with further tries from Ardie Savea, Will Jordan, and Asafo Aumua building a substantial halftime advantage that left Ireland with a mountain to climb.

Ireland showed resilience in the second half with tries from Jack Conan and Joe McCarthy, supported by Sam Prendergast's accurate boot from the tee, signalling their intent to make a game of it. Hugo Keenan's effort kept the visitors competitive for a period, but New Zealand's response was immediate and decisive. Damian McKenzie added another four-pointer to reassert control, and when Anton Lienert-Brown crossed in the dying stages, it underlined the All Blacks' superiority. Despite their second-half spirited comeback, Ireland couldn't bridge the gap created by New Zealand's devastating first-half performance.

Key moments

• 79' 79' Try: Anton Lienert-Brown (New Zealand) — New Zealand 40 – 21 Ireland
• 63' 63' Conversion: Sam Prendergast (Ireland) — New Zealand 35 – 21 Ireland
• 63' 63' Try: Hugo Keenan (Ireland) — New Zealand 35 – 19 Ireland
• 57' 57' Conversion: Ruben Love (New Zealand) — New Zealand 35 – 14 Ireland
• 56' 56' Try: Damian McKenzie (New Zealand) — New Zealand 33 – 14 Ireland
• 45' 45' Conversion: Sam Prendergast (Ireland) — New Zealand 28 – 14 Ireland
• 45' 45' Try: Joe McCarthy (Ireland) — New Zealand 28 – 12 Ireland
• 40' 40' Conversion: Ruben Love (New Zealand) — New Zealand 28 – 7 Ireland
• 39' 39' Try: Asafo Aumua (New Zealand) — New Zealand 26 – 7 Ireland
• 36' 36' Conversion: Ruben Love (New Zealand) — New Zealand 21 – 7 Ireland
• 35' 35' Try: Will Jordan (New Zealand) — New Zealand 19 – 7 Ireland
• 34' 34' Conversion: Sam Prendergast (Ireland) — New Zealand 14 – 7 Ireland
• 33' 33' Try: Jack Conan (Ireland) — New Zealand 14 – 5 Ireland
• 24' 24' Try: Ardie Savea (New Zealand) — New Zealand 12 – 0 Ireland
• 23' 23' Conversion: Ruben Love (New Zealand) — New Zealand 14 – 0 Ireland
• 15' 15' Conversion: Ruben Love (New Zealand) — New Zealand 7 – 0 Ireland
• 15' 15' Try: Patrick Tuipulotu (New Zealand) — New Zealand 5 – 0 Ireland

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Highlights