Julian Savea: First All Black to get a hat-trick against Ireland
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All Blacks wing Julian Savea scored a hat-trick on debut to help the world champions to a comprehensive 42-10 win over Ireland at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.
The talented speedster crossed twice in the first half and again after the break to cap a memorable night in his first Test outing for New Zealand, as the home side opened their 2012 account with a bang.
The win also saw the All Blacks extend their winning run at Eden Park to 28 Tests, dating back to 1994.
The visitors were outscored five tries to one, and based on this quality performance from the hosts, it looks like Ireland will have to wait a little longer for that elusive victory over the men in black.
Whilst the scoreline resembles one-way traffic, it took a while for New Zealand to click into a gear as the Irish threatened to give the home side a run for their money early on - Rob Kearney in particular impressing with ball in hand.
But with the scores level 3-3 after fly-halves Dan Carter and Jonathan Sexton traded penalties between them, the All Blacks started to find some rhythm.
Carter, who produced a near flawless display from the tee, added two more penalties from 50m out to stretch his side's lead to 9-3 before Savea struck with his first try in the 25th minute and New Zealand never looked back.
Ireland kicked away possession, not for the first time, and Zac Guildford got away with a fumble that saw the ball roll sideways. From there, the All Blacks were able to send it wide to Conrad Smith, who switched with Sonny Bill Williams. The inside centre made one of his trademark one-hand offloads to Carter and he sent Savea away for his first Test try.
Carter converted from bang in front, and the writing was on the wall for Ireland as Savea was once again the man of the moment after crossing over out wide for try number two just before half-time.
Carter was on target once again with the touchline conversion to give the All Blacks a deserved 23-3 lead at half-time, leaving Ireland with a hill to climb after the break.
The hill became a mountain after Savea was celebrating his hat-trick three minutes into the second half. The Hurricanes flyer had Israel Dagg to thank after the full-back drew in the cover defence - following some good interplay between Conrad Smith and Kieran Read in midfield - to put Savea over in the corner.
Carter raised the flags to make it 30-3 and the result was all but sealed. That was until the Irish finally hit back through a try by Fergus McFadden who, after a turnover, chased a kick ahead from Sexton and beat Richie McCaw to the ball for a seven-pointer.
With Ireland now in double figures, the green army of supporters were given a glimmer of hope. However, it wouldn't last long as normal activity resumed shortly after when Read broke away from the back of a 5m scrum and gave the try-scoring pass to replacement Adam Thomson.
Both teams rang the changes with 20 minutes remaining and Ireland weathered another spell of pressure from the home team and looked to have clawed themselves back into a respectable position when McFadden outsprinted Dagg 80 metres to score under the posts. But referee Nigel Owens had already called back play for an Irish offside.
There was further reason for Irish hearts to flutter in the final minutes as loosehead prop Cian Healy was injured and replaced by hooker Sean Cronin.
Conrad Smith was then rewarded for a fantastic performance when he dived over to the right of the posts after a slick pass from replacement Aaron Cruden. Carter added the extras to make it a 32-point buffer and give the Irish plenty to ponder ahead of next week's second Test in Christchurch.
Man of the match: For Ireland, Sean O'Brien and Rory Best were the pick of the forwards while Rob Kearney was a pillar of strength at the back. New Zealand number eight Kieran Read proved why he's rated the best in his position, while Carter was his influential self at 10 - finishing with a match haul of 17 points. Scrum-half Aaron Smith produced an outstanding debut with his rapid service keeping the backline moving, but wing Julian Savea gets our vote. A constant threat out wide, the 21-year-old made history by becoming the first All Black to get a hat-trick against Ireland in only his first Test appearance.
Moment of the match: Even though there were six tries scored in all, we've opted for Savea's bone-crunching hit on Kearney that proved New Zealand's hat-trick hero is no slouch on defence either.
Villain of the match: No cards, but the Irish got out of jail a few times when holding back All Black players on the attack.
The scorers:
For New Zealand:
Tries: Savea 3, Thomson, C Smith
Cons: Carter 4
Pens: Carter 3
For Ireland:
Try: McFadden
Pen: Sexton
New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Zac Guildford, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Victor Vito, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Hika Elliot, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Ben Smith.
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Brian O'Driscoll (c), 12 Keith Earls, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Donnacha Ryan, 4 Dan Touhy, 3 Declan Fitzpatrick, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 Donncha O'Callaghan, 19 Kevin McLaughlin, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Ronan O'Gara, 22 Darren Cave.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Comments
Paddy91317 says...
I ate a big red candle
Posted 13:30 10th June 2012
blametheref says...
I see Earls is out of the next one, so bring in Trimble, I just don't get McFadden, good journeyman player but not an International
Posted 13:00 10th June 2012
Kiwikev says...
It should be obvious that PR are not going to stop ignorant comments so if you simply don't respond to two people, who shall remain nameless, then they will be forced to converse with themselves or better yet - each other.
Posted 12:59 10th June 2012
blametheref says...
The reason Sexton MUST start the next game is that he is a fighter but more importantly a believer...he will be sick with yesterdays result and if given the chance again he will go on that pitch fully believing he can turn things around, he has the talent and the game, if allowed, and deserves that opportunity and deserves to start with his most suited 9 in Reddan
Posted 12:51 10th June 2012
blametheref says...
Ireland can can take some positive in that they weren't blown away in the line out or scrum, these facts gives them an outside punters chance in the next test if Mike Ross is available and Kidney realizes he must pair Reddan with Sexton to start and radically changes the defensive alignment. The fact Leo Cullen and James Downey were ignored for the squad might now be begiining to tell, as Cullen's leadership (like O' Connell's) was missing in the pack, and with Downey on the bench he would have at least offered an alternative at 12 (and put Earls on the wing, his best position), or a plan B to take the ball into contact, an area yesterday where Ireland were stuffed and couldn't setup go forward 2nd and 3rd phase, even more so with the slow delivery of Murray at 9 who kicked too much...Ok, Ireland can't call on these players so the team for the next match, with better bench impact for a plan B, back formation, scrum and line out options, should be: 15 Kearney, 14 Earls, 13 O' Driscoll, 12 D'Arcy, 11 Zebo, 10 Sexton, 9 Reddan, 8 O' Brien, 7 O' Mahony, 6 McLoughlin, 5 O' Callaghan, 4 Tuohy, 3 Ross, 2 Best, 1 Healy
Bench: Cronin, Fitzpatrick, Ryan, Heaslip, Murray, O' Gara, Cave
Like it or lump it the D'Arcy/BOD partnership is the most successful Ireland have ever had, Earls and Zebo can score tries and make something happen out of nothing. O' Callaghan has bags of experience and offers more grunt along with Ross. O' Brien has played some of his best matches at 8 for Leinster and O' Mahony is a rangy 7 not a 6 and a line out option, McLoughlin offers a line out option and is a great ball carrier and hitter. Keeping the Leinster 9 to 15 backline (bar the wings) intact makes sense for attack and a better defensive option. The bench offers great impact players...But sadly, we are not going to see this team on the pitch as O' Gara will start test 2 at 10.....HELP!
Posted 12:35 10th June 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
The problem for Ireland and the world of Rugby is that New Zealand now finally have a good head coach.
Posted 12:27 10th June 2012
Trader2 says...
To all those clowns going on about refs favouring NZ do yourselves a favour, don't watch (on TV) any game that the AB's play in and don't fork out your hard earned to go and see them play. You know they are always going to win because the ref will always favour them so why put yourselves through the agony. You see the solution is in your hands.
Posted 11:19 10th June 2012
GCP_JONES says...
All the NZer's dissing King Ritchie I'd never thought I'd see the day, but no doubt you have about 2/3 players waiting in the background, that young fella Matt Todd is a wonderful player
Maybe McCaw should start to think about bulking up his bank balance and head to Europe next year, He was quoted in the Irish Media saying that he would love to play for Munster and with the bad luck they have had with injuries, especially in the back-row they could certainly with a player of his obvious abilities.
Posted 11:10 10th June 2012
dannylomu says...
@Everyone on this post if irsh fans keep pitting munster and leinster against eachother we will never be a world class team i think we hav a first class team BUT a second class attitude we could be better than the all blacks but because of petty comments about were your from in Ireland im sorry but then the future looks bleak! AND ITS SAD TO SEE
Posted 11:08 10th June 2012
Jcahill1 says...
@ Sandal
That is ridiculous a penalty try can only be given if it was a CERTAIN try.
Posted 11:06 10th June 2012
carpelone says...
I must admit that the All Blacks are a safer financial investment than the German Bund. You bet on them, and you get rewarded.
Well done to Savea
Posted 10:47 10th June 2012
agardiner22 says...
@hellovanite McCaw is a scottish name and Read is an english name.
But we were totally outclassed, offloading, fitness, breakdown, backplay.......everything back to the norm then!!!!
Posted 10:42 10th June 2012
costa says...
i hope ireland can play better next week now they know what thye are up against the pace i thought this game was faster than others this weekend and ireland kept on playing as good as they can to the end. but they can stop pulling on the jerseys of other players.
for racist on thsi forum i agree there is too much but if you look at main south africa rugby forum online this is nothing it is full of hate like a white supremacy site. in some countries even web talk like that is not legal, hate crimes start in those places.
Posted 10:08 10th June 2012
chuckpaki says...
Hansen selection payed off he went with all the Ps position phyical & pace he layed his cards down catch me if you can out of the three games played on scale out ten/ A/B 9.
S/A 5.
Aust. 5.5 after tuesday performance.
Bok Avenger the name allblack is racist and what comic did you get your imformation on the ran like allblacks when the reporter was talking about their jersey with the silver fern on it maybe youl like to enlighten the kiwi blogers here
how the protea was add with the spingboke 1994 jersey and why !! you no when apartheid was the norm
Posted 09:53 10th June 2012
BokAvenger says...
Could someone kindly explain to me why dissing the All Blacks is racist? I guess, when a Saffa gets you in a corner the easiest thing to do is scream racism. Yes, I did call the All Blacks the All Pacific - however this is about as innocuous as Kiwis calling Saffas "yarpies" or "dutch farmers" or "brutal boers" and all the other stereotypes that regularly get rolled out on this website.
@Safehands: you are a blatant LIAR. Nowhere have I ever referred to the ABs as the All Gorillas. Please be so kind as to post the link to the post where I wrote that? Please do. And if you are unable to, then you should be banned from this forum for blatant lying.
I concede that the ABs are a great rugby team, but I MAINTAIN that despite their obvious class and talent, they get a free ride from the refs who continue to ignore their forward passes, skew throw ins at lineout time and seem to apply a totally different set of laws to the ABs at ruck time - hence, Heinrich Brussouw is reffed out of the game to the point where his career hangs in the balance, yet Sir Richie McCheat receives a knighthood.
You Kiwi fairies need to grow up accept that just because the IRB has annointed your team as the chosen ones, not everyone is going to just sit back and take it.
Posted 09:51 10th June 2012
tha_mai says...
Trinats2 - you are at times the Australian equivalent of BokAvenger with your underhand racist posts; you pretend to be funny, but so often it is offensive time and again. Savea (not Sevea) born in Wellington, Rongotai College, plays for Oriental-Rongotai Club (second recent AB with Nonu same hometown, school and club).
You may be more comfortable in SA, along with the ones there yearning for a return to the good old days when coloured people could neither represent their country, and were barred from visiting teams too.
Posted 09:24 10th June 2012
tha_mai says...
yamahakiwi - I'm the 6/10 geezer; my point, not well made it seems, was that they can get better - to say 10/10 would suggest perfection and they are well off that, just little things that will improve with more time as a squad. They had training runs Tues/Thurs, captain's run Friday that was it; on that basis incredible performance from the new combinations, esp three new ones who must still be a little shell-shocked at walking out for the first time in Black. Maybe next week 7/10 - they can improve.
For Ireland, difficult to know what to do, some positional swaps but they'll need more than that I think.
I wonder if G Henry was able to see the game in Argentina, love to hear his thoughts.
Posted 09:14 10th June 2012
RealRugby says...
What a weird string of posts! Irish supporters well natured in defeat, happy kiwis, and then a few idiot saffas who had nothing todo with the game going on a rant?!
You know who you are - just get the ruck off these posts, as you are giving your good countrymen a bad name with the poo you spew.
Come back and have a whinge when the AB's spank your butts in the 4 nations...
Posted 06:52 10th June 2012
cuw3100 says...
from an independent rugby fan :
Zac G at 14 is not Zac G at 11
V Vito at 6 is not V Vito at 8
Big Broadie R is not Big Brad T
and finally DC at 10 is incomparable :)
Posted 05:20 10th June 2012
kiwikev says...
Lads just ignore people that make idiotic comments or as my nephew says about his brother - "Don't feed the troll."
Posted 05:12 10th June 2012