'BUILD IT and they will come." In Eat the Peacha carnival motorcyclist performs the Wall of Death. The Aviva Stadium is no wall of death and the Irish team is hardly a motorbike. But the IRFU built it and last Saturday the players scaled the heights of that wall in a manner that will force us back time and again.

When I left for Saturday’s match Scotland were 12 points to six up on the Springboks. When I arrived into the Aviva Stadium the Scots had won. I felt a pang of doom, which wasn’t helped by strolling pitchside.

I stood at the base line and soaked up the All Blacks. They were calmly pottering around their half, each focusing on their particular skill set. Worryingly, Cool Hand Luke, Dan Carter, was simply sitting with his chessboard, pawns at the ready. There were two very contrasting styles, one with a sheer elegance, confidence borne from control, the other one from the unknown.

Last Monday I asked several questions, mostly negative ones. My first article of the season mentioned that Tony Buckley was the most important player in Irish rugby this season. If Buckley’s to be the most important person on the pitch, then fullback is the most important position. Today I ask one major question: what do we do with last Saturday’s performance? Our fullback, Rob Kearney, represents the answer.

Australia’s defeat of the All Blacks in Hong Kong some weeks back brought us a fixture of wonderful ball-carrying and attack. Ireland created fantastic opportunities on Saturday. Stephen Ferris’ try was but one of them. However, Tommy Bowe got through, looked over his left shoulder – and there was no one there. At the death, Sam Whitelock got through, looked to his right and there was no one there either. It almost never happens to the Blacks, as they are well used to the offload.

This amazing Irish performance may not be maximised unless it becomes the norm and Kearney must make it his priority to create and finish as a norm.

Against the Springboks Ireland’s front five carried for a total of nine metres to their opponents’ 40. On Saturday they managed 61 metres. In the meantime their defence was monstrous.

But the Irish backrow was extraordinary – 37 tackles and 158 metres carried. Man of the match went to the ice-cool Carter, but Ferris was immense, as was Jamie Heaslip. Yes, Ferris missed a couple of high-profile hits, but his physical presence was crucial in defence. His body barely adjusts to the hit. He seems to be the perfect destroyer.

The All Blacks continue to excel in all areas of the game. It was hard to predict the damage done by that pre-half-time Anthony Boric try. The changing-rooms did afford the Black brains an opportunity to figure out what was happening to them.

To that point, Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll were parting the Black waves as they came flooding in. To witness how they work in tandem under such immense pressure is a pleasure in itself.

D’Arcy, at 5ft 11in and 14½st, punches so far above his weight leading the tackle count at 16; precious few of which were on men smaller than him. The second half was but four minutes old when Ma’a Nonu ran at D’Arcy’s inside shoulder before setting off towards O’Driscoll’s outside shoulder, fixing both and offloading wide towards a try. That was clearly under instruction from the stand. It managed for the first and only time to exploit the brilliant midfield defence.

The All Blacks’ ability to understand the immediate need for bodies in the developing maul is excellent. The Irish double-teamed the carrier where possible and in doing so threatened the All Black possession. Immediately the Blacks switched to protection mode, which is a microcosm of how they value the ball. Four Blacks will pile in to force the maul forward and – worst case scenario – will get the scrum.

They were also very successful in ripping the ball from our carriers, a difficult skill to perfect. Clearly time has been spent on it. Kearney lost it twice when out wide. In both cases it wasn’t a spill but a very deliberate All Black rip.

Their greatest contribution to the game and the building block to our “new” psychology is an automatic acceptance of opportunity.

They expect their ball-carrier to dance through traffic, create space and look for an offload. We are still behind, but build it and they will come.

Ireland’s defence excelled and, inside D’Arcy, Cian Healy and Ferris managed 14 tackles each. Healy and Ferris have a special style of wallop, stopping the player dead. Tom Court had a fine game and with eight big tackles and a tough day at the coal face he was wrecked. He reminded me of an oarsman on a blue ribbon eight. He may not be the best in the boat but, crossing the line, he will have exhausted himself.

Ireland too had many pluses. For the first time in an age this team passed the ball to the man beside him, who ran from deep onto the ball and then did likewise. Gone were the overcomplicated “dummy, rangy, loop skips”, and in their place hard-running, simple lines and an effort to offload the ball.

Allow me the luxury to pick a few bones. Once again we have forwards kicking the ball. If this is to continue then All Black kicking coach Mick Byrne should be drafted in to at least teach them how and when to do it. Why do our forwards insist on this? Do they practise it? Fortunately, this urge, and the poor kick-off receptions, are easily fixed.

What is altogether more difficult to fix is our front five offloading. Mick O’Driscoll, for one, has evolved in front of our eyes. He caught a kick-off and ran 20 metres back into All Black territory. Later he changed feet, danced left and offloaded. Cronin ran brilliant lines. More please.

In looking for turnovers, particularly at the breakdown, penalties will flow. We must accept this. We also forced four such turnovers. In carrying the ball, spills will happen. We must accept this and increase the support runners around the ball.

In starting “new” blood such as Seán Cronin and to a lesser extent Johnny Sexton we must accept errors. In doing so confidence will grow and with it an evolvement that will bring us closer to the All Blacks.

I’ll finish as I started last Friday’s article. Have you heard about the new low-fat communion bread? It’s called, I can’t believe it’s not Jesus. Brian O’Driscoll was immense. Richie McCaw – don’t forget the duck, no pressure crossing that RWC road!