Munster, 33-1 outsiders and missing 10 Ireland players, came within four minutes of writing another piece of All Black history last night 30 years after they became the first and only Irish team to have beaten New Zealand. Any All Black feeling that he had done his bit just merely by turning up to celebrate the official opening of the new Thomond Park and help 26,000 Munster men remember that game in 1978 got the shock of his life.
Once the pleasantries were over, the match-ball helicopter had come and gone and the smoke from the fireworks had drifted away, Munster tore at the favourites, leading 16-10 at half time and 16-13 after 76 minutes when Joe Rokocoko finally found a gap in the home defence. After 80 minutes the 12-0 defeat of October 31 30 years ago which spawned a best-selling book and a play, Alone it Stands, which the Blacks saw in Limerick on Sunday, was firmly out of New Zealand minds.
Cynics suggest a common sponsor had more to do with last night's reunion than All Black generosity and a decision to buck the trend of Test-only modern tours. Whatever. They sent out eight of the starters who beat Scotland on the opening day of their European tour and four of those who saw action in the drubbing of Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday.
However, the most capped All Black on the field was still the Munster full-back Doug Howlett, who bagged 62 of them before he jumped ship, a record 49 tries to the good, after last season's World Cup. Howlett had wondered aloud how he would respond to facing his first haka.
"Back home it's not uncommon to haka back," he said, promising to consult the three other New Zealanders wearing red shirts, Lifeimi Mafi, Rua Tipoki and the replacement Jeremy Manning. In the end, when the soprano had sung and the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, had done the honours, the four pre-empted the All Blacks with a welcome of their own.
Paul Warwick landed two first-half penalties and a drop-goal to go with Barry Murphy's try four minutes from half-time. Stephen Donald, with a converted try and a penalty, scored all New Zealand's points but could land only one of three penalties at the start of the second. Graham Henry turned to his bench for replacements like Mils Muliaina and Brad Thorn whom he had hoped to keep fresh for the weekend. The older heads got the Kiwis field postion and with four minutes to go Howlett missed his first tackle of the night.
Munster Howlett; Murphy, Tipoki (Manning 53), Mafi, Dowling; Warwick, Stringer; Pucciariello, Sheahan (Fogarty 62), T Ryan (Buckley h-t), M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, Coughlan, Ronan, Leamy (Holland 22).
Tries Murphy. Con Warwick. Pens Warwick 2. Drop- goal Warwick.
All Blacks Jane; Gear (Kahui 63), Tuitavake, Toeava (Muliaina 71), Rokocoko; Donald, Weepu (Mathewson 62); Mackintosh, Flynn (Elliott 62), Franks (Afoa 54), Filipo (Thorn 70). Eaton, Thomson (Read 50), Waldrom, Messam.
Tries Donald, Rokocoko. Con Donald. Pens Donald 2.
Referee Romain Poite (France). Attendance 26,000
