Eden Park remains a fortress. In front of their Auckland crowd, the All Blacks beat Ireland (40-21) in round three of the Nations Championship, handing them their first defeat in the competition. With six tries scored, New Zealand keep their place at the top of the southern pool.

Eden Park still impregnable

The setting did not lie. On a ground where Ireland have never won, the All Blacks opened the scoring through lock Patrick Tuipulotu (14th minute) and then back-rower Ardie Savea (21st). Reduced to fourteen after Luke Jacobson’s yellow card (27th), they still gave nothing away.

Despite a first try from Jack Conan (32nd), New Zealand even stepped up before the break through Will Jordan (34th) and Asafo Aumua (38th), to lead 28-7.

Ruben Love the metronome

Selected at fly-half, Ruben Love was flawless off the tee, with five conversions from five. After the interval, Damian McKenzie (55th) and then Anton Lienert-Brown (78th) completed the New Zealand display, driven by a razor-sharp attacking line.

Ireland’s late defiance

Ireland did not fall apart entirely. Lock Joe McCarthy (44th) and full-back Hugo Keenan (62nd), both converted by Sam Prendergast, allowed them to save some face. Not nearly enough against an All Blacks side that turned every opposition error into points.

What it changes in the table

With this bonus-point win, New Zealand stay at the top of the southern pool alongside South Africa. For Ireland, this first reverse has consequences in the north: beaten without a single bonus point, they hand top spot in their conference to France.