Clever punters back All Blacks in closing minutes

It has been described as the most gut-wrenching defeat of a generation — but at least some canny punters were able to celebrate as New Zealand snatched victory at the death last Sunday.

Bookmakers Paddy Power has revealed that as many as 200 punters bet on an All Blacks win just before it stopped taking bets on the match 90 seconds from full-time.

At that stage, Ireland still had the ball in the New Zealand half, but as far as many fatalistic Irish punters were concerned, it mattered not a jot.

The spokesman also revealed that while there were plenty of takers for an All Blacks win at 4/1 even as they defended their own try line, in the minutes prior to that, when the odds on a Kiwi win were 10/3, “hundreds” had backed the Kiwis.

“There were a lot of people who didn’t have the faith, I’m afraid,” the spokesman said, confirming that the majority of punters believing in the All Blacks even as the seconds ticked down, were based in Ireland.

The majority of bets on an All Black win were lodged between the 50th and 60th minutes, when the odds were still remarkably narrow at 11/10 and 5/4, given the points deficit at that stage.

However, the bookies have offered some consolation for disconsolate Irish fans, slashing the odds on Ireland winning the 2014 Six Nations from 6/1 to 9/2 following Sunday’s match, although Wales, England, and France are still deemed more likely to secure the title.