Ireland coach Andy Farrell has achieved a great deal as a player and coach in two rugby codes, including being part of a successful British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2013, but he does not say that nothing compares to the 32-22 win over the All Blacks in Australia. Wellington.
The win got a historic 2-1 win in the series for Ireland, as well as a 1-1 series with the Maori All Blacks, and Farrell put the achievement into context immediately after Saturday’s test.
“This was an end-of-season tour and it was the start of our World Cup year … but I think it’s a little different too,” Farrell told Sky Sport.
“No Irish team will have a chance to do this again, probably to win a series when they are in play.
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“It really doesn’t get any harder. We’re here to put ourselves to the test against the best and come out with a series win is the best I’ve ever done.
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done for a rural mile. This is a special group. They believe in themselves, they’re tight and they hold on to each other.”
Ireland took a 22-3 lead at half-time – former All Blacks captain Kieran Read told Sky they “took us to the clean-up” – and defended with heart and organization as the All Blacks fought in the second part.
Ireland were very lucky that Bundee Aki’s dangerous clean-up of Ofa Tuungafasi had not been lost in any way by party officials (at least he would have been looking at a yellow card), while Andrew Porter’s vertical entry on Brodie Retallick would have deserved a red card another night.
Joe Allison / Getty Images
Ireland celebrate their 2-1 victory at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.
However, Ireland have been the top team in the last two tests and Farrell said he knew what the set was capable of even after a big defeat in the first test.
“We’ve been telling you all along that we’ve been pretty good at absorbing things when things aren’t going well,” Farrell told Sky.
“Even when things are disappearing, we make sure we are maintaining the level. We kept playing and that was the most important thing.
“I think our maul was outstanding tonight. He kept up the pressure on them.”
The win in the series means Ireland are in good form ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The five-try program has allowed Farrell to develop depth as he continues to win.
The All Blacks could face Ireland in the quarter-finals next year and know they need to improve markedly.
“I can’t talk enough about everyone … about management,” Farrell said. “It simply came to our notice then.
“In the second game we had five staff members with Covid, and there are no excuses: everyone has gotten along well.
“We’ve grown a lot even before tonight, but that’s just the icing on the cake.”
Three-test tours in July could become a thing of the past if the concept of the “Nations Championship” comes to fruition after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Under this format, the All Blacks will host three different sides of the northern hemisphere for three weeks.
As a result, Farrell’s Irish side, which made history, may never be superior.