Anyway, top effort from the forward pack - packs in fact, the Paddies ripped into it too, but were just outplayed by the men in black, even with their rookie front row combination.  It was great to see the pick and goes and short passing, the legs pumping into contact, a dominant scrum, a lineout that stole more than it lost, and a loose trio that were heads and shoulders above their opposition.  This without Myth Woodcock, Yoda Somerville and Mealamu.  So thus far, post Hayman, things looking good.  Afoa certainly looked a test level prop, as did the brown brothers from the Hurricanes propping stable too, Schwalger and Tialata.  All good stuff.

The backlines, well, in those conditions there was sod all chance of anything exciting happening, just the one backline move in the entire game really, when Sivivatu scored of the Conrad Smith line break (Bruce Roberston anyone, turning the defence inside out, BOD even).  Other than that moment of magic, the game was a dour forward battle, interspaced with the Paddies playing a game of force back, each back trying to outdo the other in the long kick stakes!

I thought Nonu and Smith deserve another go together, and liked the way Carter and Nonu worked in well also.  Keep those three together for a match or two and lets see what develops, certainly looking like it could be something worth persevering with.

Anyway, some player ratings...

1:  Neemia Tialata 7/10
Well the big guy came good for this test match, lasted 80 minutes, as he had too, played 20 odd minutes at loosehead, and then the rest of the game at tighthead.  Was superb in the wet conditions with the ball in hand, making ground against the equally good Irish defence.  Anchored the dominant All Black scrum well.  Had a few 'Tialata' moments, but they were in context with the match, and not the normal stupid moments when he explodes on his own!

2:  Andrew Hore  7/10
Top match also from the Taranaki hooker.  Not as effective in this match as he has been in the past in the close quarter ball carrying, but still effective.  That is a big tick mark for the Irish and their forward pack.  Part of the dominant front row, that for much of the game was the Hurricanes front row.  To be honest I never thought that a front row of Schwalger, Tialata and Hore would cut the mustard at the top level, but there you go.

3:  John  Afoa  7/10
Until he limped off with his knee injury, Afoa was having a storming match in both general play and in the set pieces.  Is certainly a test footballer now, deserving of his place in the All Black front row.  Somerville will have to play well in the coming weeks to keep his spot ahead of the fast coming Afoa.  Like Tialata, and Schwalger, ran effectively with the ball in hand.

4:  Ali Williams  7/10
Like the rest of the tight forwards Williams was buried all day in the close in exchanges, tackling, driving, rucking, and in general, being part of an all hands on deck effort to subdue the Irish forward pack.  Top lineout effort, and heavily involved in the Nonu try scoring movement.

5:  Brad Thorn  8/10
Welcome back granddad!!  The big man was a Keith Robinson without the broken bits, and with some pretty punishing defence added in.  Also won his own lienout ball when used.  Also used very effectively as a lifter with So'oialo who was the All Blacks main source of lineout ball. 

6:  Rodney So'oialo 9/10
Blindside flanker or number eight, it doesn't matter, So'oilao in black is a scary sight.  He was the All Black lineout kingpin, tackled himself to a standstill (broken nose not slowing him down), cleaned out rucks and mauls like a runaway bulldozer.  Along with McCaw formed a one / two punch that the Irish could not compete with.

7:  Richie McCaw  10/10
Mr everywhere, Mr everything, Mr everytime.  McCaw was back to his very best in this test match.  His tackling and scrambling to his feet to steal ball or earn penalties text book.  If there is a better open side flanker in the modern game today, he would have to have wear his underwear outside his clothes and get changed in phone booths.  Man of the match.

8:  Jerome Kaino  6/10
Not a raging success I thought.  But then, not the best conditions in the world for a new boy number eight to strut his stuff.  A hard dry track would have been more to his liking.  Still, tackled well, and did the basics right off the back of the scrum.  Just no rampaging runs to write home about.  Solid, not spectacular, but would like to see him in the dry before hanging him out to dry...!

9:  Andy Ellis  6/10
Doesn't he look like a spotty 14 year old!!  But he plays a touch better than your normal spotty 14 year old!  Did well in the conditions though, his core duties all executed with few mistakes.  Don't feel safe though with him there - not as safe as you do when there were J Marshall's and D Loveridge's wearing the black nine.

10:  Dan Carter  8/10
Steady as she goes for Mr Carter.  He has not looked in world beating form for a season or two now, but is still up there with the best tens in the world.  Just one run on the night, leading to a try to Ma'a Nonu.  Talk about picking yhour moments!!  Generally kicked very tidily and directed play well.  Will get better as the season progresses and once all these contract negotiations are over and done with.

11:  Sitiveni Sivivatu  6/10
Not a great night for wingers.  Their main occupation on the night was staying alive in the sub arctic conditions.  Still, he chased well (which is surprising for him - at Chiefs and Waikato level anyway), defended strongly, covered, and did everything that he could weather wise.  Took his try well from the Smith break, but other than that, it was not a day for wing men!

12:  Ma'a Nonu  7/10
A most un Nonu-like game.  Error free!  Strong running the ball forward, good in defence with Smith.  Took his try well too, taking the pass from Schwalger behind him and accelerating nicely before being more than strong enough to drag the Irish tacklers over the line for the try that put the match beyond the Paddies.  Not the best conditions to showcase his game though, wet, cold and miserable is not a great day for anyone!

13:  Conrad Smith  8/10
Made the one genuine 'back' break of the game, which led to the Sivivatu try.  Otherwise, like the rest of the backs, spent much of the day trying to ward of hypothermia as much as play rugby.  Still, looked bloody good there, in combination with Nonu.  Please, please, please Cartel, leave these two there for the rest of the season...

14:  Anthony Tuitivake  5/10
Not really a wingers game, don't think he saw the ball from a backline move in his time on the field.  Chased back well and did what he could.  Was pulled off early in the second half, I reckon to stop him from dying of the cold.  Being the smallest back on the field he must have been feeling it most!

15:  Mils Muliaina  7/10
Steady at the back, doing the right things at the right time.  Showed that his kicking game is pretty effective.  Like all the backs on the field, not the best day in the world to show his wares.  Would have been nice to see him coming into the backline a bit more, but you can only do what is called I s'pose...?

16:  Kevin Mealamu  7/10
Came on and tackled himself silly as the paddies decided that being ten points down that their tactic of trying to kick the stuffing out of the ball would need to be shelved, and proceeded to maul themselves to death.  I don't know what it is, I just feel more confortable when Mealamu is on the field as opposed to Hore.  Bizarre as it might sound, i think Hore is a better super 14 footballer than Mealamu, but at test level, Mealamu is the number one number two!

17:  John Schwalger  8/10
The set piece did not skip a beat with Schwalger coming on in this test match.  I don't know if that is a reflection on a rubbish Irish set piece, or that the trio of rookie All Black props are better than many thought.  Probably a mix of both, as the Paddy scrum does not strike fear into the international world does it!  Anywho, Schwalger was solid in the scrums against an 80 whatever test veteran Hayes, and dynamic around the field with the pill - looking more like a steriod freak midfield back than a prop at times!!  His pass to Nonu for the dreaded wonders try was a boomer - although I expect if he tried it five more times in five more games it would not come off!!  Solid second test anyway from the big guy.

18:  Anthony Boric
Still waiting to get his jersey dirty at this level.

19:  Adam Thomson  6/10
Came on and tackled, tackled, and tackled some more.  Not much else he could do in the ten or so minutes that he tallied on the field as So'oailo's nose bleed was stopped and his cameo at the end when he subbed on for Kaino.

20:  Brendon Leonard
He didn't get on either did he?  Would have been frozen solid sitting on the bench.

21:  Stephen Donald
A good test not to make your debut in!  Would have had frozen feet, let alone hands sitting on the bench for 80 minutes.  Bring him on against the Poms on a dry day and see if he can hack it, not in the worlds coldest game!!

22:  Leon MacDonald  7/10
Safe and sound at fullback.  Didn't have to do much really, but did it well!!!