Plenty to ponder as All Blacks loom

A WIN may be a win, to adapt anoft-used sporting truism butlike the Aviva Stadium announcer ridiculously heralding a record crowd, there is more to the story than just the bare facts.

Just as one can enthusiastically spin the 30,955 hardy fans at the Aviva on Saturday into an all-time best attendance for an Ireland v Samoa match and never mind the 20,000 empty seats, Irish head coach Declan Kidney will not be satisfied with the performance that produced this 20-10 victory.

Winning, of course, is always welcome, particularly after a run of four Test defeats in a six-match losing streak but with World Cup favourites New Zealand in town on Saturday, Kidney was looking for more. Much more.