The All Blacks have stopped the rot and returned to winning ways.
It’s not often a sentence associated with one of the most successful teams in world sport.
But after back-to-back defeats to Ireland and France to end 2021, another to the Irish to open 2022 would have been the first time since 1998 that New Zealand had lost three on the bounce.
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The All Blacks put on a fine display in their first test of the year, comfortably beating Ireland at Eden Park.
However, after overcoming a shaky start, the men in black exacted revenge in their season-opener at Eden Park, cantering to a 42-19 victory.
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Here’s a breakdown of the key numbers after Ian Foster’s side took first blood in this hotly-anticipated three-test series:
14
It’s now 14 years in a row the All Blacks are unbeaten in season-opening tests.
Usually always trotting out at home to open their year, it’s so often a clunky performance, as many combinations re-form, though this latest one was a more slick display.
New Zealand’s last loss in a season-opener was to France in Dunedin in 2009 (27-22). The Wallabies went within a goalpost in 2020 in Wellington, but had to settle for a draw.
42
The All Blacks won comfortably on Saturday night despite having just 42% of possession.
That reduced to only 36% in the second half, as the hosts ended up making a whopping 213 tackles (to Ireland’s 148).
But such was New Zealand’s strike power, they scored without requiring a heap of phase buildup.
“Possession is not always an indicator of the game you want to play,” Foster noted post-game, “and probably the 8% we were short was all those pick and goes near the goal-line that seemed to go on and on forever.
“Overall I think how we used our ball today was pretty effective and that’s more important for us.”
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The Eden Park streak just keeps on going for the All Blacks.
47
The famed All Blacks’ streak at Eden Park is edging ever closer to the half century.
It is now 45 wins and two draws since the men in black were last beaten on their hallowed Auckland turf – against France all the way back in 1994.
Ireland have now succumbed there four times, after also losing there 40-8 in 2002, 27-17 in 2006 and 42-10 in 2012.
The All Blacks have one more chance this year to add to their record run, hosting the Wallabies at their formidable fortress in the final round of the Rugby Championship, on September 24.
133
All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock notched his 133rd test appearance on Saturday night.
That sees the 33-year-old now equal with Keven Mealamu and Sir Colin Meads in second spot for most All Blacks matches, while going one in front of Mealamu on the tests list.
Whitelock, who is the seventh-most-capped test player of all-time worldwide, now just has one Kiwi in his sights – the great Richie McCaw, who finished with 148 tests and 149 games.
Should the rugged second-rower steer clear of injury, he may well surpass his former team-mate at next year’s World Cup in France, which is sure to be his international swansong.
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Pita Gus Sowakula joined the All Blacks debutant tryscorers club.
145
Pita Gus Sowakula endured a horror maiden touch in an All Blacks jersey, dropping his very first ball.
But soon later when he burst off the back of a five-metre scrum and dived under the bar, the former Fijian resort chef became the 145th All Black to score a try on test debut.
His Chiefs team-mate, Samisoni Taukei’aho, was the most recent debutant to dot down, bagging a double against Fiji in Hamilton last year.
Others to have scored their maiden meat pies against Ireland are Scott Barrett (2016), Julian Savea (three in 2012), Ben Franks (2010), Sam Whitelock (two in 2010), Dave Hewett (2001), Aaron Mauger (2001) and Matthew Cooper (1992).
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Jordie Barrett celebrates his try, which took him past another big-booting fullback in Don Clarke on the All Blacks’ test points list.
220
When Jordie Barrett dived over for the All Blacks’ opening try of the season, it was one big-booting fullback going past another in the points-scoring record-books.
On 203 points going into his 37th test, Barrett also kicked six conversions from six, for a 17-point haul, which took him past the total notched by the legendary Don Clarke.
Known as ‘The Boot’, Clarke collected 207 points through 31 tests, from 1956-1964, and a total of 781 points from his 89 matches in the black jersey.
If anyone has shown a modern-day comparison for such range off the foot, it is Barrett, who last year became the All Blacks’ preferred No 15 and also first-choice goalkicker.
