By The Numbers: All Blacks Loss To Ireland The Biggest In 150 Tests
The All Blacks have been well and truly humbled by the history-making Irish.
Having comfortably seen off the tourists in the season-opener at Eden Park last weekend, New Zealand were brought back to earth with an almighty thud in Dunedin on Saturday night.
Their 23-12 defeat was their first in their own backyard to Ireland, who have now enjoyed four wins from their past seven contests against the men in black.
As for Ian Foster’s side, they have now dropped three of their last four tests and the pressure is all of a sudden back on them.
All Blacks head coach Ian Foster is being pressured by the New Zealand public after their declining Test rugby results. Photo: Stuff
Here are the key numbers following the gripping test at Forsyth Barr Stadium:
4: When the world rankings are officially updated today (Fiji time), the All Blacks will drop to fourth.
That is New Zealand’s lowest-ever position on the chart, since they were introduced in 2003.
France have taken top spot for the first time, with Ireland up to No 2 and South Africa slipping to third.
5: The All Blacks have now been felled at home by five different national teams.
Ireland join a club featuring Australia, South Africa, England, and France. They have also been beaten by the British and Irish Lions combined side, and a World XV in 1992.
7: Angus Ta’avao’s red card saw him become the seventh All Black to be sent off in a test match.
Cyril Brownlie was the first player ever sent off in international rugby, against England at Twickenham in 1925, before Colin Meads was dismissed against Scotland at Murrayfield in 1967.
Unsurprisingly, since World Rugby’s clampdown on head contact in 2017, red cards have become far more regular, with five for New Zealand since, including one each season for four years running.
Sonny Bill Williams was given his marching orders against the British and Irish Lions in Wellington in 2017, then Scott Barrett (2019 in Perth), Ofa Tuungafasi (2020 in Brisbane) and Jordie Barrett (2021 in Perth) all saw red against the Wallabies.
8: Saturday night’s test was the All Blacks’ eighth at Forsyth Barr Stadium, and their first loss under the roof, since first playing there in 2012.
The men in black had a nine-game winning streak in Dunedin, and the South Island, with their last defeat having come against France at Carisbrook in 2009.
11: The All Blacks’ losing margin of 11 points was their biggest home defeat in 29 years.
You have to go all the way back to France’s 22-8 win in Christchurch in 1994 to find the last time New Zealand were beaten on home soil by more than 10 points – exactly 150 home tests ago.
It was their also the All Blacks’ equal-biggest loss to Ireland, on par with that historic 40-29 result in Chicago in 2016.
12: In their Dunedin disaster, the All Blacks were kept to just a dozen points.
The last time they scored fewer? That fateful night in Yokohama in 2019, in their 19-7 World Cup semifinal defeat to England, some 24 games ago.
The last time they scored fewer at home? That memorable night in Auckland in 2011, in their 8-7 World Cup final win over France, some 53 home games ago.
14: After an unlucky 13, Ireland broke their duck in what was their 14th test against the All Blacks in New Zealand.
The teams first met on these shores in 1976, then not again till 1992.
Twice before the tourists had got within three points (in Dunedin in 1992 and in Christchurch in 2012), while six times they had been beaten by 20-plus.
69.6%: Ian Foster’s win rate as All Blacks coach has now dropped below 70%.
Since taking over in 2020, his record now reads: 16 wins, one draw and six losses (to five different teams).
The previous three All Blacks’ coaches– Steve Hansen, Graham Henry and John Mitchell – all had win rates above 82%, while this latest result has seen Foster now drop below the man before that– Wayne Smith’s 70.6%.
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