Churchill Cup: The sheer brute and physical power and devastating three- quarter trickery of New Zealand Maori eventually overwhelmed a brave Ireland "A" side in the Churchill Cup at Santa Clara University Stadium, San Francisco, on Saturday.
The final scoreline is a little flattering to the Maori who had to contend with superb Irish defence for 74 minutes of an absorbing tie played in searing temperatures. But ill-discipline by the Irish in the last 10 minutes proved their ultimate undoing.
First Roger Wilson was redcarded for a headbutting offence and then Jamie Heaslip was sin-binned - along with New Zealanders Joe McDonnell and Mike Noble - after a fracas materialised. With the sides reduced to 13-a-side, space opened up and the Maori took ruthless advantage to run in two late tries from Hosea Gear (brother of All Black Rico) and Thomas Waldron to book themselves a place in the final against Scotland "A" in Edmonton on Saturday.
Ireland's reward is a 3rd/4th place play-off against England Saxons.
While ruthlessly exposed late on, Ireland will take great heart from a performance built on a solid set-piece and defence, some excellent lines of running and strong performances from Heaslip, Matt McCullough, Tom Court, Kieran Lewis, Rob Kearney and Chris Keane.
The Maori opened the scoring after only 10 minutes following a sweeping move involving Liam Tessam, centre Neil Brew, Gear and finally fullback Shannon Paku who raced down the left flank to score in the corner.
Ireland conceded a second try in the 31st minute when Tessam took a quick penalty outside the Irish 22, broke through a double tackle from Quinlan and Keane who clashed heads, and powered his way over the line. Callum Bruce's conversion made it 12-0.
Ireland finished the half strongly with Paddy Wallace converting a penalty in the 44th minute to make it 12-3 at half time. Kearney added a fine drop goal two minutes after the break to narrow the margin but this was cancelled by Bruce four minutes later. Wallace missed penalties in the 49th and 66th minutes but Ireland's chances of an upset were undone by the moments of madness in the 70th and 71st minutes.
IRELAND "A": B Cunningham; S Keogh, K Lewis, D Quinlan, R Kearney; P Wallace, C Keane; R Hogan, J Fogarty, T Court, T Hogan, M McCullough, R Wilson, S Jennings (capt), J Heaslip. Replacements: N McMillan for Jennings (blood 8-21 and 23-34); T O'Leary for Keane (46); R McCormack for R Hogan (55); E Hickey for Cunningham (67); D Browne for T Hogan, B Blaney for Fogarty; D Fitzpatrick for Court (all 80)
NEW ZEALAND MAORI: S Paku; A Tahana, R Kahui, N Brew, H Gear; C Bruce, C Smylie; J McDonnell, S Linklater, D Manu, K Ormsby, P Tito, J Gibbes (capt), T Latimer, L Messam.
Replacements: L Mahoney for Linklater (52); M Noble for Manu (60); M Berquist for Bruce (74); C Jane for Tahana and C Tamou for Smylie (76); J Paringatati for Tessam (77).
Referee: A Small (England)
