Three tries in the final 20 minutes helped a disjointed New Zealand to come from behind to beat Ireland 26-13 in Chicago on Saturday and exact revenge for their 2016 meeting in the city when they lost to the Irish for the first time.
While Ireland came into the sides’ tenth game since far less battle hardened, they showed few signs of ring rust with a Tadhg Furlong try helping them to more than weather an early Tadhg Beirne 20-minute red card to lead 10-7 at halftime.
New Zealand lacked fluidity and looked in real danger of a fifth defeat to the Irish before prop Tamaiti Williams struck against the run of play on 61 minutes and fellow replacement Wallace Sititi gave them an eight-point lead six minutes later.
A shell-shocked Ireland, punished for failing to turn their earlier control into more scoreboard pressure, had no answer and New Zealand scrumhalf Cam Roigard neatly jinked his way over the line three minutes from time for a fourth try.
(Writing by Padraic Halpin in Dublin; editing by Clare Fallon)
