Well, kia ora & g'day guys & girls, welcome to all our audience here in New Zealand & around the world, it is Whetu here tuning in to my Kiwiavenger blog, but first in the rugby, the All Blacks have won the test as we beat the world number 1 ranked Ireland (Whose 19 match winning streak at that ground had ended, but it's been 391 days since the last meeting between the 2 sides in which they fought against each other during the quarterfinal of the 2023 Rugby World Cup) in an epic but enthralling test at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin by 10 points off the back of a 18 point masterclass from Damian McKenzie who was awarded player of the game honours for his performance (Well, I thought he was going to struggle when he filled Beauden Barrett's shoes, but he didn't as he got his act together in which he'd been done well), therefore ending an 8 year wait of winning against the Irish in Dublin, so here is the last 10 minutes of the game according to the live updates provided by the NZ Herald website:
10:47 AM: Kickoff claimed, boxed kicked clear and Frawley drops it cold again! Back to back knock ons from the replacement first-five! That could be massive as the All Blacks now have an attacking scrum inside Irish territory - right hand side.
10:50 AM: All Blacks win the scrum and it's very nearly stolen back by Ireland at the ruck but Jordan comes up with it! 40m out and the All Blacks stab a kick in behind which is returned and Lowe makes an outstanding 50-22! Unreal from the winger.
Ireland have a lineout about 15m out from the All Blacks line, left hand side of the park.
10:52 AM: Ireland win it and Lowe nearly sneaks through the middle! They build phases in the 22m but it's turned over at the ruck! Ardie Savea with a massive snag!
10:53 AM: McKenzie kicks to the sideline but once again it's pretty short. All Blacks lineout just outside the 22m - six minutes left.
10:54 AM: Clearance is eventually made and Ireland once more have to attack from their own half - Aki strong carry yet again but they decide to kick - big cheer from the crowd as it goes into touch in All Blacks territory but it's NZ ball.
10:55 AM: All Blacks secure the lineout and clear but it's not out and Ireland make their way up to the 10m through Lowe.
10:56 AM: A sneaky chip and chase from Hansen creates half a chance but he can't hang on and it's a knock on! Scrum All Blacks on their 10m line.
10:57 AM: Two minutes to go - Berry calls time off as the scrum needs a reset.
10:58 AM: Roigard slams a kick down field and it's deep into the Irish 22m - Ireland decide to kick it back and McKenzie hoists one high. Ireland have it once more inside their own half. All Black defence holding with one minute to go.
10:59 AM: It's once more kicked deep into the All Blacks' 22m and Barrett calmly slams it into touch. The clock shows 30 seconds left.
11:00 AM: Ireland have lost the plot here, didn't throw a jumper up on their own lineout! The All Blacks take it in, then smack one into touch and it's all over! All Blacks win 23-13!
11:01 AM: Breathe... Damian McKenzie player of the day and rightly so. Six penalties kept the All Blacks in it and he made some smart passes and his out of hand kicking was on point.
11:03 AM: You'd have to say the Irish were architects of their own demise in that second half - kicked an awful lot of possession away and their set piece went to... well... pieces.
11:04 AM: But the All Blacks kept cool heads and stuck to their plan, didn't panic and kept the scoreboard ticking over. Smart sub from Robertson and co brining on Roigard - wasn't Ratima's best outing and the replacement worked a treat with clean pill for the All Blacks backs.
11:12 AM: All Black captain Scott Barrett commends the bench performance and he's bang on. Have Razor's men finally got over their final 20 terrors? It certainly appears so from that second half.
11:13 AM: Beating England at Twickenham, then six days later a 10-point win over the world no. 1 Irish in Dublin? That's a ripper effort from the All Blacks.
And what do I think of the test? It was by far, the best game of rugby I have ever seen since the England test which had to be my number 2, & the 2015 Rugby World Cup final would have to be my 3rd fave, & what about Damian McKenzie? After a shaky form that he had when he stepped up to the occasion to score a brilliant 18 points in the night, but at least we did not panic that we managed to end that drought at Aviva which had been going since 2016, finally! But I was stoked about the result (And the Irish, they'll be gutted in which they suffered a defeat, but hell yes indeed) just like in the England test where me, Carole & Pops were holding our breaths. Plus there was Cam Roigard who had a cracker of a game when he replaced Cortez Ratima whose performance had been a bit clunky as he had a shocker until he had left the field, along with Asafo Aumua who had a blinder along with try scorer Will Jordan (The one who plays at fullback) as he started at hooker with Codie Taylor unavailable as he played throughout the 78 minutes that he had when he had a lovely but wicked try assist to Jordan before being replaced by reserve hooker George Bell. But the Ireland - AB's test would have to be the game that made Damian McKenzie, compared to the England test in which where the game that stood Wallace Sititi out the most. But bring on France (Led by an Summer Games gold medalist in men's sevens rugby for his country of Antoine Dupont in which we got to contain him for the entirety of the test) for our penultimate test of the year at the Stade de France (Venue for many of both the 2023 RWC & the Paris Summer Games last year) in Paris as we are chasing redemption after losing to them twice in a row in both 2021 to end the year in another defeat for the first time since 1999 also during the RWC, & during the opening match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup that the French finally broke the All Blacks unbeaten streak in pool play (In which we were being a bit clunky, but a yellow card by Will Jordan for deliberately taking French fullback Thomas Ramos out in mid-air has cost our chances of remaining unbeaten in the pools at the Rugby World Cup), & we are winless against the French in international rugby since 2021 but our last win against France came was during the 3rd & final test in Dunedin back in 2018, but the AB's have lost both Sam Cane due to a head knock & Mark Tele'a with a broken hand meaning that both will be unavailable for the France test in Paris (Host of last years Summer Games).
And in other rugby news such as the Wallabies (Who had league convert Joseph Sua'ali'i made his test debut at centre pairing up with second-five Len Ikitau) getting a shock result over England at Allianz Stadium in London with a match winning try provided by reserve Wallaby back Max Jorgensen that broke English hearts just like New Zealand did on the 2nd of November, before replacement first five Ben Donaldson even nailed a conversion just from the sideline, a day before the defending world champions & Rugby Championship title holders South Africa (Who had to take back their number 1 world ranking from the Irish whilst playing their first test in 43 days since ending a 5 year wait of winning the Rugby Championship last year, & have just lost twice (First against Ireland in the 2nd test of a 2 match test series at home, & Argentina in the penultimate round of the Rugby Championship in Santiago) since retaining the Rugby World Cup in 2023, but winning against the world champion Springboks (Who provided the moment after their win against the Scots inspired by Donald Trump's win in last year's US election) in international test rugby isn't always easy as they always employ the bomb squad which is their WMD (Weapons of mass destruction) stuff that they used at the 2023 RWC, & it is similar to the Spain football team employing tiki taka that won them both Euros in 2008 & 2012 & the Football World Cup in 2010 (They didn't use it when they won Euro 2024 last year with a quick, fast-paced high tempo style of play approach consisting their new generation of footballers like Neco Williams & Lamine Yamal for example (Just like the Bomb Squad that South Africa dominated the last 2 Rugby World Cups in both 2019 & 2023) begin their Northern tour campaign with a win against Scotland who had their player Scott Cummings sent off for a croc roll considered to be an intentional but aggravated foul, on on-field Springbok captain Eben Etzebeth deemed to be considered dangerous (In which the sport's governing body World Rugby is issuing a crack down on the croc roll technique that endangers players limbs that is blatant, malicious, but in an egregious way which is similar to a high tackle (In which that a contact above the sternum in rugby, is similar to targeting in gridiron, as well as unnecessary roughness (And disqualifications/ejections in the NFL is similar to a red card in rugby), as well as the hip drop in which both the NFL & NRL currently prohibits them (And the croc roll & high tackles in rugby, then hip drops in both rugby league & gridiron as well as targeting & unecessary roughness in gridiron, is like war without both the guns & bombs) after being given a card under review by the TMO bunker (And I label the 20 minute red card period as shambles, because they need to get rid of it again in order to make it fair) for which I thought it was a cheap shot similar to McKenzie being taken out deliberately by Joe McCarthy with a reckless/careless dangerous but high tackle during the Ireland-AB's test).
And news straight out of America such as the price hike for gaming & other stuff, is getting ready to begin when the US president elect Donald Trump (For which I bear hatred towards him from now on (And my thoughts? This hatred I bear is for you, & you alone! But I'm still gutted that he won of course) since he got elected again (But Trump's win in the US election is similar to Christopher Luxon (Who congratulated & appreciated Trump for his election win during a phone conversation) becoming Prime Minister since 2023 after his win in the New Zealand general election) because I mainly criticize him a lot, so damn that guy (For which I label him as a dumb idiot) since I'm an anti-Trump kind of person just like Mum, but I'm sick & tired as well as getting fed up about him, with many Americans grizzling Trump a lot) takes office once more on Inauguration Day (Which is the 20th of January) next year, with Trump taking direct aim by introducing a tariff as they seek to end a partnership with China by declaring a tariff war on them that makes gaming consoles, controllers & other devices such as headphones being dear according to the policy regarding to inflation or the price hike should I say (And many die hard but hardcore gamers want to do it before the price increase which is going to be in effect prior to Trump (Who I label him as by far, the worst leader in the world, & the most unprofessional but selfish individual human being, in the history of mankind that you could possibly imagine (Nonsense, don't be ridiculous) is preparing to be sworn in as President of the United States yet again), but it was on the 11th of November that I was day dreaming about me being offended & disrespectful by somebody like Carole (And Aunty Tan told me on the phone on the 12th of November (11th in Canada), that Rejean's sister Francine lives near the heavily secure Mar-el-Lago Trump residence estate facility which is located in Miami, Florida in the United States).
Meanwhile in motor racing news such as the Supercars Championship title will be decided on the streets of Adelaide on the weekend of 15th to the 17th of November, & it is mate against mate between 2 championship contenders such as championship leader Will Brown (The guy who took over Shane van Gisbergen's race seat since the opening round in Bathurst) & his main challenger standing in the way of Broc Feeney (Both men are at a 2 horse race to decide who'll become champion for the very first time, which is the last before the implementation of the Supercars Championship finals which is due next year that is inspired by NASCAR's playoff system that they're currently using), both racing for Red Bull Ampol Racing as the 2 who are seeking their maiden Supercars Championship (And the other challengers who are in the running such as Chaz Mostert, Cam Waters & our own Kiwi Matt Payne, have seriously dropped out of contention).
And finally in the cricket news department such as Sri Lanka won the 1st T20 against the Black Caps (Fresh off from their test series triumph in India against India) before turning it around with a win in the 2nd T20 which resulted in a drawn series.
So that is my 581st blog of the year 2025 (MMXXV) & my 5th of this year, viva Ukraine & Palestine.
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