Damian McKenzie’s boot and a try from Will Jordan gave New Zealand a 23-13 win over Ireland in Dublin, as Andy Farrell’s side were beaten on home soil for the first time in more than three years.
After a narrow win at Twickenham last week, the All Blacks found themselves in another tight encounter, leading 9-6 at half-time as McKenzie and Jack Crowley exchanged penalties.
New Zealand were reduced to 14 men just before the break, Jordie Barrett punished for a high tackle on Garry Ringrose, and Ireland took full advantage of the extra player early in the second-half as Josh van de Flier stretched and got the ball down.
That gave them a 13-9 lead, but ill-discipline proved costly. McKenzie was given four opportunities to kick for points, three of them sent over and the other crashing back off the post, as the All Blacks regained their control.
That was cemented with ten minutes remaining, as New Zealand worked it from one wing to the other and Jordan found himself free to saunter over out wide.
Ireland could not mount a late comeback, their unbeaten run, which had stretched 19 matches back to defeat to France in the 2021 Six Nations, ended.
Farrell will be left to rue the penalty count, with Ireland conceding 13 to New Zealand’s five, and that must be tightened up as the focus now shifts to next Friday’s match against Dublin.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will attempt to carry their form into another blockbuster encounter, this time in Paris against France.
“We're disappointed,” Farrell said after the match.
“It's easily summed up by the mood of the dressing room. It's pretty sombre. The lads are gutted and we're all gutted. I thought we';d prepped well, trained well and we were excited about the game. We didn't manage to put our game out on the field."
"Obviously the opposition have a big say in that. The energy and accuracy wasn't there for needing to win a big Test match like that."
Ireland captain Caelan Doris said: "It was intense out there. We were quite reactive out there and our discipline wasn't where it needed to be. We got momentum at the start of the second half but they came back. They were quality, we weren't good enough.
"Discipline was a big part. We didn't fire enough shots and part of that was our defence letting them hold onto the ball. I'm not sure exactly what the answers are, but we weren't good enough tonight."
