The scoreline camouflages what, for 47 minutes, was a towering Irish performance in the SANZAR Invitational Championship in Australia yesterday. One incident changed the course of the match. Ireland hooker Gavin Hickie chased a loose ball at the lineout and was pulled back by the collar when not in possession. He lashed out at his assailant, striking him, on the neck: the touch judge intervened and the St Mary's College player was sent off.

Hickie conceded that it utterly changed the contest. Ireland had trailed the defending champions by just four points at the interval, 16-12, following a monumental first half performance by the pack and some wonderfully assured three quarter line defence. Jeremy Staunton kicked four penalties while the junior All Blacks replied with two tries and two penalties.

Hickie's sending off meant that Ireland were forced to withdraw second row Damien Browne to send on replacement hooker Henry Bourke. They had lost captain Mossie Lawlor an hour and a half before the match because of illness.

Jeremy Staunton (ankle) and Niall Treston (shoulder) were second half casualties compounding Ireland's woes. New Zealand are a very fine side - they go on to play Australia in the final - and with a man advantage they ran in four converted tries after the interval, two in the last 10 minutes as Ireland trailed 30-18 after 70 minutes.