Nov 10,2024
Josh van der Flier was keen not to use rustiness as an excuse following Ireland's flat performance in their 10-point home loss to New Zealand on Friday night.
Scott Robertson's side ended Ireland's 19-game winning streak in Dublin - a run which began following the defeat to France in the 2021 Six Nations - with an impressive final-quarter surge.
Damian McKenzie's goal-kicking was critical throughout, the Chiefs out-half landing six in total in a cagey encounter, while Will Jordan's 68th-minute try gave them a crucial cushion entering the closing stages.
Van der Flier had burrowed over for Ireland's only try of the game early in the second half, which tellingly occurred during a period when New Zealand were reduced to 14 after Jordie Barrett's sin-binning.
This put the hosts briefly in the driving seat but they failed to press home their advantage and the All Blacks soon regained the initiative after a string of penalties.
"There was a lot of really good defence, I thought, but too many penalties. It was tough conditions out here, it was very, very greasy.
"It was scrappy for both sides but I think it was the penalties probably let us down more than anything. Kickable penalties. That was the difference in the end."
It was Ireland's first outing since the dramatic one-point win away to South Africa in Durban in July, while New Zealand - after a patchy Rugby Championship showing - had ground out a narrow win over England in Twickenham last weekend.
New Zealand coach Robertson (above) played down any notion of fatigue and, in the wake of defeat, Van der Flier dismissed the notion that rustiness impacted the home side.
"We won't see any excuses. I thought we had two weeks of very good prep there. We won't take that as an excuse there.
"They're a very good side, they played very well. We couldn't really get going in attack, it was difficult out there.
"Credit to New Zealand. They played the conditions well. They kicked well. They were very good in the aerial contests. And I'd say it was the penalty count that undid us.
"Three more games. We'll have to move on quite quick.
"It was positive at half-time, to be honest. There was so much good stuff we'd shown.
"We felt we were in a good place to get after them. And I thought we really did. We tried really hard, I think it was probably just execution that let us down in the end."
Van der Flier's fellow forward Andrew Porter was particularly candid in his assessment of what transpired in Dublin 4, admitting acceptable standards were not reached.
"A few costly errors throughout the game let us down - our discipline and just basic skill at times," he said.
"It's obviously disappointing given the occasion, given what we wanted to put out there for everyone here at the Aviva.
"I think we've got a lot to work on for the rest of this series, particularly after today.
"The game was always in our grasp from minute one to 80 and it was our own performance that let us down.
"We felt like we were in the game for most of it and we just let them off the hook a few times.
"That's what costs you at this level against a team like New Zealand, small errors cost you. And it cost us today."
