How do we judge that All Blacks performance?

BY MARC HINTON

OPINION: Damn that Wayne Barnes. Actually, damn that Irish hot-headedness.

How on earth can we judge the merits of this All Blacks performance when a test match effectively became a mismatch before even quarter of an hour had passed?

We can't, that's the simple answer.

The All Blacks, for once starting their year with a roar rather than a hiss, romped to a record 66-28 victory over Ireland and Israel Dagg had a blinder at fullback on debut for his country. Five other new boys also dipped their toes in the waters of international rugby and would scarcely have been able to believe how easy it was. Yet this must be a test match that goes into the record book with an asterisk beside it. * Rendered meaningless by Irish brain explosions!

Really, what were they thinking?  It's been 105 years of losing rugby against the All Blacks when they've managed to keep 15 men on the paddock. With 14 - or even 13 at it was for one 10-minute period - there was no hope.

It's hard to explain the Irish impetuosity, other than to say that it was simply bad judgment from people who may, or may not, have been just a little too fired up for their own good. Pity that once they finally settled down they played with the sort of grit, organisation and skill that suggested they may actually have a had a shake at this thing.

That just hinted at the test match this could have been.

But really this is one we can't blame on the old enemy, English whistle-blower Barnes, who really only did what he had to when mad Irish No 8 Jamie Heaslip - a fellow who arrived for his second visit to New Zealand with a reputation as one of the better loose forwards running round up in the north - aimed two knees in the direction of Richie McCaw's head at a ruck in the 14th.

Barnes, a disciplinarian at the best of times, did not need a second invitation to brandish that red card that sits poised in his back pocket, and as Heaslip began the walk of shame, the greater shame was that the capacity 25,000-strong New Plymouth crowd that packed this refurbished stadium had just been denied a contest to watch.

The scoreboard will tell us this was a commanding All Black display - yet will Graham Henry accept four converted tries conceded against 14 men as a fair night's work? Defence was the big blemish. This was a team, remember, that went right through Europe in November without conceding a single touchdown.

Four against 14 men will not pass muster with this coaching crew. But they'll also understand the extenuating circumstances.

We will never know how good this All Blacks performance really was, because with that brandishing of the early red card, and the All Blacks leading 10-0, Barnes ended the contest. Not that he had any choice.

We'd seen it before, of course. Back in 2004 at Auckland English lock Simon Shaw was red-carded by Nigel Williams for a similar knee attack on an All Black (Keith Robinson), was sent off barely 10 minutes in and what was expected to be a great test against the world champions was rendered meaningless.

The situation was exacerbated 10 minutes later for the Irish when Ronan O'Gara caught a bit of Heaslip's madness and obstructed Cory Jane as he chased his own kick. Yellow card. Just 13 Irish left standing. And 21 points in 10 minutes for the All Blacks. At 36-0 it was what they call in hoops garbage time, even before the intermission.

So what to make of it all?

From an All Blacks perspective there was some pretty slick stuff in the first 40 as they ran in five tries against the outmatched Irish. Dagg was brilliant, and his ability to link with Jane hinted at a special combination. But right through the ranks the New Zealanders looked pretty impressive as they attacked with intent and accuracy. Dan Carter looked sharp, Jimmy Cowan too.

But four tries apiece over the last 45 minutes indicates that Ireland very much won the second half, and there were worrying signs that the All Blacks pretty much lost concentration as they let the visitors hang on to the ball for long periods.

The New Zealand coaches, though, will be wise not to mark the second 40 too harshly.  Games have a way of going that way when they're effectively over as a contest.

Dagg's debut hinted that this is a young man who will excel in the test arena, Stanley's was more solid than spectacular and Ben Franks got through his stuff well enough, even if it was hard to judge the tight work too accurately.

Sam Whitelock's two-try turn off the bench also showed his promise, while it was good to get Aaron Cruden and Victor Vito through their first tastes of test football without too much in the way of pressure. They will all be better for this sweetheart introduction.

And the Irish? So stupid. Yet so gutsy for the second 40. Ah, once again they frustrate with the imponderables.

KEY FEATURES

Defining moment: The sending-off of Heaslip. We'll never know how this gutsy Irish outfit would have done thanks to his stupidity.

Star man: Israel Dagg. Wonderful debut. Just hard to know how to judge this performance from the gifted No 15.

What the ABs did well: They scored nine tries. And they introduced six new men into test rugby without any visible pain.

What the ABs need to do better: Defend. As this game got all loosey-goosey the All Blacks stopped defending. Forgivable? Yes. But not pleasing.

Who's smiling: The six new boys. Seldom has a test debut against decent opponent been this easy. Plus Irish fans for the gutsiness of their team. It was splendid as this really could have got ugly.

Who's nervous: No one really. Reality awaits next week against Wales, but no All Blacks did their chances any harm.

- © Fairfax NZ News