Ireland's excellent win over the Maori sets them up well for series decider
Keith Earls captained Ireland for the first time against the Maori All Blacks
©PA
Ireland began their tour with a defeat against the Maori All Blacks but after beating them on Tuesday, could it now set them up for a historic series win vs New Zealand?
In what could have been considered a test of depth for either side, Ireland proved to be stronger as they recorded a 30-24 win over the Maori in the miserable conditions of Wellington.
The Irish kicking game disrupted the free-flowing Maori's and the clash of styles was clear to see with the tourists tempting the home side to run it back, creating opportunities in the wide channels for Andy Farrell's team to score.
However the magic of the Maori did glimmer through with a scintillating try scored by Ruben Love after gathering a rare loose kick from Ireland where he combined well with Cullen Grace. The away side, however, fronted up throughout the game with their improved physicality creating chances and putting the Maori on the back foot.
It should come as no surprise that the first win against the Maori All Blacks comes soon after the first victory against New Zealand and this should benefit Ireland if they are to secure a historic series win.
The two fixtures with the Maori have also offered Ireland's squad a chance to showcase their ability against international quality players which highlights the importance and how necessary Farrell and his coaching team thought these games were.
Ireland now go into the series decider on Saturday full of confidence after winning their last two games. The two historic results showed the blueprint to beat New Zealand is not to just kick the ball away to the opposition, but kick smartly to them. Giving possession back to the All Blacks is never a clever idea, but when done well, it can create ample opportunities for the attacking team. Could we see this tactic continue into the weekend?
But one thing for sure is that this is a massive milestone for Ireland, setting them up nicely for a chance to win a series on New Zealand soil for the first time. The All Blacks will not go down easy, but today's game has shown how the Irish will look to physically dominate them and stifle the hosts' flair.
Defence, physicality and smart kicking could lead Ireland to history.
