New Zealand have put in a brilliant defensive performance to prevail 28-24 over Ireland in a titanic World Cup quarter-final, setting up a meeting with Michael Cheika's Argentina for a place in the final.
The All Blacks played for 20 minutes with 14 men against the Six Nations champions and had to dig deep to defend their line through 40 phases in the dying seconds as the world No.1-ranked Irish searched for a winning try.
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It was an eighth quarter-final loss for Ireland, ended their winning streak at 17 matches and sent five-eighth Johnny Sexton into retirement without the glittering prize with which he had hoped to crown his career.
While quite different from Ireland's epic win over South Africa in the pool phase, the quarter-final was equally engrossing with both teams hitting hard in defence and wanting to use the ball in hand when they got it.
Ireland's variations in attack caused New Zealand problems all night but the All Blacks were ruthless when they got a sniff of the line.
Leicester Fainga'anuku, Ardie Savea and Will Jordan scored the tries that sent the three-times champions into the semi-finals for the ninth time and avenged 2022's home series loss to the Irish.
The All Blacks made a nervous start, flooring two passes and fluffing two clearance kicks.
They soon found their rhythm, however, and came away with the first points, from a Richie Mo'unga penalty, after going through 30 phases inside the Irish 22.
Jordie Barrett added another penalty from 49 metres after a turnover and the All Blacks moved out to a 13-0 lead when winger Fainga'anuku went over in the corner after Beauden Barrett had gathered his own up-and-under.
Ireland cut the deficit with a Sexton penalty before finally breaching the New Zealand line in the 27th minute when centre Bundee Aki's blend of footwork and power took him through three tacklers.
Another chip over the Irish defence got the All Blacks close to the line again six minutes later, though, and No.8 Savea dived over by the flag to take the lead out to 18-10.
New Zealand halfback Aaron Smith was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on almost immediately, however, and his opposite number Jamison Gibson-Park darted over for a converted try to make it a one-point game at the break.
The All Blacks kept their line intact until Smith returned and Mo'unga scythed through the Irish midfield in the 53rd minute and sent winger Jordan in for his 28th try in his 29th test.
Sexton revved up the 78,845 crowd after kicking a penalty to the corner in the 64th minute and referee Wayne Barnes awarded a penalty try, sending hooker Codie Taylor to the sin bin in further punishment for the All Blacks.
Ireland tried another catch-and-drive but came away with nothing and Jordie Barrett added another penalty in the 69th minute to extend the lead to four points and set up a thrilling but scoreless last 10 minutes.
“The last six weeks have been incredible, the support, the way we’ve played. It’s been a dream come true and that includes today," departing Irish skipper Sexton said after the match.
“They didn’t have to work hard for their tries. We were sucker-punched a couple of times, but they are a quality team.
“We had to work harder for our tries and the way we fought back was a tribute to our character.”
ALL BLACKS 28
TRIES: Fainga'anuku, Savea, Jordan
CONS: Mo'unga 1/2, J.Barrett 1/1
PENS: Mo'unga 1/1, J.Barrett 2/3
DGS: B. Barrett 0/1
IRELAND 24
TRIES: Aki, Gibson-Park, Penalty try
CONS: Sexton 2/2
PENS: Sexton 1/2
Ireland (15-1): Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Peter O'Mahony; Iain Henderson, Tadhg Beirne; Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Joe McCarthy, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Jimmy O'Brien
New Zealand (15-1): Beauden Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Leicester Fainga'anuku; Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (capt), Shannon Frizell; Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick; Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot
Replacements: Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Sam Whitelock, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
TMO: Tom Foley (RFU)
