Ireland crumble after the break as ruthless All Blacks turn the screw at Chicago's Soldier Field
Tadhg Beirne’s red card proves costly as New Zealand avenge 2016 loss with powerful second-half surge in Chicago.
Ireland 13-26 New Zealand
This time, Chicago was not Ireland’s kind of town.
Unlike 2016, when they made history and transformed this fixture from a one-sided slaughter into a genuine rivalry, Ireland didn’t get things their own way.
They had their moments, for sure.
And then came that familiar meltdown which had characterised the first 111 years of this fixture.
As New Zealand clicked up through the gears, Ireland went into reverse.
First came a try from Tamaiti Williams on 61 minutes — New Zealand opting for a tap and go when a more conservative team might have kicked for the posts.
That edged them a point in front.
But they were only getting started.
Next, on 67 minutes, came Wallace Sititi’s score — a superb flowing move from New Zealand’s perspective, a defensive disaster from Ireland’s. Garry Ringrose was exposed, Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie were brilliant, and Sititi finished off the move to make it 21–13 to New Zealand.
And then, three minutes from the end, scrum-half Cam Roigard slalomed his way through a forest of Irish defenders to put the game beyond reach.
Who would have thought that possible at half-time?
Because at that stage, Ireland were ahead.
Given they had played much of the first half with just 14 players, it was a superb opening 40 minutes. There were flaws — Jack Crowley overhitting several kicks, Dan Sheehan miscuing a few throws — but few teams ever dictate terms against New Zealand.
Ireland did in that first period.
For starters, there was a seventh-minute penalty from Crowley to make it 3–0.
Ten minutes later came an inspired call by captain Dan Sheehan to go for the corner rather than the posts.
Fortune favoured the brave.
Sheehan, Ryan Baird, Sheehan again, then Jamison Gibson-Park and Stuart McCloskey combined to set up Tadhg Furlong, who barged across from close range. Try, Ireland. Crowley converted, and the lead stretched to 10–0.
It didn’t last long. Will Jordan reminded everyone why “Jordan” is a name that resonates in Chicago.
The New Zealand full-back swept through the Irish midfield on 19 minutes, and by the time the cover defence scrambled back, the ball was zipped right for Ardie Savea to touch down. Beauden Barrett converted. 10–7.
It stayed that way until half-time. With James Ryan off for a HIA and Tadhg Beirne gone for the rest of the game, Ireland had neither of their starting locks on the field by the break.
You could say they were stuck between a lock and a hard place.
And yet, they still led. Pre-match, the PA man had played a Phil Collins song to gee everyone up. Then, against all odds, Ireland led New Zealand at the break.
But after losing here in 2016, all New Zealand wanted was one more night in Soldier Field.
They got it here — and they got a performance, too.
By the second half, their scrum had solidified, their aerial game steadied, and their handling sharpened.
Those three second-half tries owed everything to their ability to execute when it mattered.
Few teams in the world can do that.
Ireland, in 2022 and 2023, were one of those teams at that level.
Now, they are not.
This was proof — a team in transition, still missing Johnny Sexton, with neither Crowley nor Sam Prendergast quite there yet.
In the end, they ran out of steam. Those 20 minutes without Tadhg Beirne, sent off for a high tackle on Beauden Barrett, proved crucial.
Playing New Zealand is tough enough when it’s 15 versus 15.
Make it 15 versus 14, even for 20 minutes, and you will suffer.
It took a while for that disadvantage to catch up with Ireland.
But it did. The All Blacks played like all backs — their handling slick, Ireland’s less so.
Chicago belongs to them this time.