Ireland v New Zealand LIVE rugby: Latest score and updates with hosts out for revenge against All Blacks – UK Times

A simple starter for McKenzie.

A moment of real fortune for Cortez Ratima, fumbling as he tries to pass from a ruck. He’s able to regather and spots space between two Irish forwards chasing eagerly for the loose ball like spaniels, the scrum half dashing upfield. Ireland are pinged at a breakdown soon enough, granting Damian McKenzie a chance to answer Crowley’s three.

Jack Crowley slots the penalty from the tee. Ireland are on the board first.

An excellent clearance from Damian McKenzie sends Ireland back beyond halfway, from where the hosts play a phase and then go back to the air. And there’s the escorting law in action – Nic Berry blows his whistle having deemed Jordie Barrett to have changed his line and blocked a chasing Mack Hansen. Harsh, you’d say – Barrett didn’t change his line and Hansen rather drew attention to his presence by barging through the back of him, but this should be three points…

It’s stable at the third attempt and off Ireland go, Bundee Aki carrying firmly and then Caelan Doris in the second phase. Kelleher and Bealham lurk wide on the right and combine nicely, but Aki’s pass hits the deck in the next phase off Irish hands.

Their replacement front row went very well against England last week, but England had Tamaiti Williams and Tyrel Lomax under pressure at times. No Dan Sheehan or Tadhg Furlong for Ireland, of course, but Ronan Kelleher and Finlay Bealham are Lions contenders in their own rights.

How will the first scrum go? Down twice and a double reset.

The first Irish touch is from captain Caelan Doris, trucking up from the kick off. Into a kicking exchange, referee Nic Berry barking at the retreating players to “open up” and allow the chasers access.

Cortez Ratima looks to go to the air, but the scrum half is unprotected at the base of the breakdown. Andrew Porter gets through on to the leg and Will Jordan fumbles on the floor after the prop’s chargedown.

Here we go then. A long build-up, Ireland hitting a few tackle shields to warm the shoulders and make the All Blacks wait.

Nic Berry has the whistle, Damian McKenzie the ball.

Time for the haka, to be led in the absence of Codie Taylor and TJ Perenara by…Rieko Ioane. Ireland take a few paces towards the All Blacks as the bodies spread, Caelan Doris with the mildly amused look of a parent watching a primary school play – the new Irish skipper looks totally relaxed. Andrew Porter, meanwhile, has the face of a bulldog chewing wasps – the prop looks ready to rip in.

And forward Ireland come, meeting the challenge in unison! Lively. This should be mighty.