Ian Foster and Beauden Barrett. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The All Blacks produced their best performance under coach Ian Foster to upset Ireland 28-24 at Stade de France and storm into this week's World Cup semi-finals, where they'll face Argentina.
The odds and crowd were against them on Sunday morning in Paris but the All Blacks sent Ireland crashing back down to earth and crashing out of the World Cup, with the Irish still having never made it past the quarter-finals.
Coach Ian Foster was delighted with the victory and the All Blacks' resolve.
"Sometimes the sweetest victories are when your opponent plays really, really well and tests you to the limit.
"We played a lot of that game with 14 men and I couldn't be more proud of the efforts of the players. I thought we looked in control of the match and it felt good."
2023 Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final, Stade de France, Paris, France 14/10/2023 Ireland vs New Zealand New Zealand’s Will Jordan and Aaron Smith celebrate after the game Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Billy Stickland/www.photosport.nz Photo: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland
Halfback Aaron Smith said it was the best defensive effort he's been involved in.
"We knew to go deep into a World Cup our defence needed to stand up and it was all pointed towards that quarter to figure out how do we defend better against Ireland's attack and their ability to play out the back, get you on the outside and really test you.
"They still did and it was the best defensive performance I've been a part of."
The All Blacks made 226 tackles in total and defended for 37 phases in the final minutes as Ireland looked for the match winning try and captain Sam Cane believes his side have now set the tone for the rest of the tournament.
"I feel like that defensive performance has been building for a while and it has the be the benchmark moving forward."
Sam Cane during the Quarter Final match Ireland v New Zealand All Blacks at the Rugby World Cup France 2023. Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on Saturday 14 October 2023. Photo credit: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Cane produced one of his best performances as an All Black and midfielder Jordie Barrett believes the skipper will have silenced some of his critics.
"I bet you he's feeling pretty good about himself right now and so he should be. He's well respected in our group and he just popped up in those certain moments and was so physical, so brave and so tough. He was outstanding."
All Blacks first-five Richie Mo'unga was also outstanding, making a crucial break early in the second half to put wing Will Jordan away for a try and silence the Irish crowd, who were deafening at times at Stade de France.
Richie Mo'unga celebrates winning the Quarter Final match Ireland v New Zealand All Blacks at the Rugby World Cup France 2023. Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on Saturday 14 October 2023. Photo credit: Panoramic/www.photosport.nz Photo: Federico Pestellini
Mo'unga concedes the All Blacks have endured some tough times in recent years, including a historic series loss to Ireland on home soil.
He said it was nice to banish some of those demons.
"When I think back to the last two years and what we've been through as a team and everyone wrote us off. We just targeted this game and really wanted to make a mark and just come with an intensity that would be overwhelming for them [Ireland]."
The All Blacks win sent star Irish first-five Johnny Sexton into retirement having never won a World Cup.
He stopped short of describing this New Zealand team as the best he's ever faced, but he believes they'll get past Argentina and into the title decider.
"The All Blacks judge themselves on winning World Cups, so time will tell whether this team is [the best].
"Moments of brilliance won them the game and how dogged they were in defence, how good they were at the breakdown and they're clearly on the up.
"They've obviously got Argentina in the semis so they'll likely be in the final and from there anything can happen."
But after the All Blacks 2019 semi-final loss to England, Mo'unga knows nothing can be taken for granted.
"The next challenge now is how consistent can we be? And how can we put that in back to back performances.
"There's a bit of fire in everyone's belly in wanting to do just that. The ultimate goal is to win the World Cup."
Ian Foster. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
And Foster insists the South Americans won't roll over.
"We know Argentina well, they know us well and when they're in the house and play that physical game, they're tough."
There's no doubt though that All Blacks fans will be confident their team will reach the final after they put away an Ireland side that even the bookies thought would win.