What an atmosphere. Eden Park is packed with more Gold and Green jerseys than ever seen before.
The Irish fans most certainly outnumber the Aussie ones if our ears are to be believed. In fact the "Ireland" chant seems more audible than any "All Black. All Black. All Black" chants in my memory.
Just as New Zealand has France as its RWC bogey team, so do the Wallabies have Ireland - well sort of. Because Ireland always nearly beat Australia at the Rugby World Cup, heartbreakingly they have been ahead in the final moments of these matches only for the Wallabies to claw their way back. If only the ABs could have bogey team like that.
My mate Paul Schrader is at this game and he's texted me to say he is sitting within spitting distance of Welsh Rugby Scribe Stephen Jones (how tempting). Jones is a great hater of Southern Hemisphere rugby in general and the All Blacks in particular. And his biggest criticism of our Rugby; too many tries, too much flamboyance, too little defence, not enough drop kicking.
I hate to say it but this game is Stephen Jones's idea of a wet dream. Despite the enterprise of the Wallabies, the Irish defensive pattern is too good and tough for the whole of the first half. It is a kickfest, and not a great one. Jonathan Sexton and Justin Bieber, oops sorry James O'Connor, trade penalties in the first half and the half time score is 6 apiece.
Schrader tells me at halftime that Jones seems to be trying desperately to find any sort of alcohol from anywhere, which probably explains his predilection for piss poor rugby.
Second half and Ireland get first blood at the 50 minute mark when Sexton puts them 9-6 ahead. Also the Wallabies look a trifle flustered. The Irish pack have them well rattled at scrum time and they cough up another penalty within moments of the last. Sadly Sexton's compass is out and he hits the woodwork.
As the Irish gain the lead and time ticks away, the crowd become a big factor. Essentially this feels like a home ground advantage to the Irish and like Jake the Peg, they are growing an extra leg... Deedle, Deedle, Deedle Dum.
All Black nemesis Quade Cooper is the usual menace in broken play, but tonight he hasn't had the luck of the bounce. With 57 minutes gone Ireland have a thimble sized 9-6 lead. Full credit to the Irish though, they are willing to chance their arm, and crazily counter attack from their own goal line. The Wallabies seem stunned by the audacity.
The aforementioned Schrader is half Australian and lived in Melbourne for 8 years, and he wants the Irish to win this. They are so loveable - easily the most loveable of all the Home Unions. Please let them win this! The chance of this increases when Sexton slots his 4th penalty at 64 minutes. 12-6 Ireland!
The Irish go for the jugular and string together 12 phases and smash the Australian goal line. The Wallaby loosies who have played so well of late, seem missing in action. You can see big Samo's afro in the shot, so clear in HD, but he never seems near the ball. In his last match he was everywhere and irresistible. Have the Australians been drugged?!? Nope more likely the Irish are playing the game of their lives.
This is awesome. Another Sexton penalty makes it 15-6 and it the rain is now pelting down. This will make it extra hard to peg back a 9 point lead. There are now only 8 minutes left. Is this a dream? It is too good to be true.
The Aussies are chancing their arm more as the minutes tick away, whereas the Irish are using the Gary Owen (up and under kick) to turn the big Australian pack. The pill is treacherous in these conditions, and the Wallabies aren't up to defend this classic wet rugby tactic.
The Australians led by the always outstanding Will Genia assault the Irish line with 4 minutes to go, but the Irish tight 5 are resolute. They hold back the waves of attack, but the Wallabies earn a 5 yard scrum.
Holy Smokes - Quade Cooper has a brain explosion at 78 minutes and flicks a no look behind the back pass to Irish winger Tommy Bow. He runs this intercept the length of the field and is pulled down by Bieber inches short of the line. Then the Irish are robbed of a try to Conor Murray moments later, as the ref Bryce Lawrence spots an indiscretion in the ruck.
The only person in Auckland happy about this is Stephen Jones who wouldn't want a try to spoil this otherwise perfect result. But the Irish don't care a jot. They win this outstanding match, and finally live up to their bogey team status, on the back of an outstanding performance from their pack in particular.
These 15 men (plus 6 odd replacements) will never have to buy another pint for the rest of their lives! And why not, I'd buy any one of them a beer after this.
There won't be many Kiwi tears shed for the Aussies, but like a cockroach they will doubtless survive this spray of poison and be back for more later in the tournie. And unfortunately the way things are going South Africa, New Zealand and Australia will stand in each other's way, on the way to the final. So it may be a case of be careful what you wish for.
Final score: Australia 6 - Ireland 15
16 games 82 tries.
Tweet of the match - "I'd love to be the Guiness rep for Auckland after tonight's sales... Ireland will drink the place dry!" @Mr_Mark_Brown
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