Little to salvage from wreckage

It was always going to be a monumental challenge playing the world champions on their home turf, but any notions Ireland could catch the All Blacks cold on their first run-out of the season were quickly dispelled at Eden Park on Saturday.

Make no mistake about it, New Zealand were full value for their 42-10 win and the margin could, and should have been greater.

Declan Kidney picked an attack-minded side to face the hosts and they did just that in the first quarter, but once Steve Hansen’s new-look outfit got into their stride, the result was never in doubt.

It doesn’t get any easier as this Irish team must dust themselves down and prepare for a highly-charged second bout in Christchurch next weekend — the first test match in the earthquake-ravaged region in two years.

Kidney was making no excuses for the abject performance and pointed to his side’s failure to retain possession as a key factor in the loss.

“We turned the ball over a few times and then we were made pay for it at the highest level, which was on the scoreboard,” said the Irish coach. “That’s the thing we have to take a look at. If you are turning the ball over, that’s something you can’t do at this level and we have to rectify that.”

Shorn of so many key players, Ireland were always destined to struggle and Kidney called for patience for the new generation to develop.

“We had 11 guys who have three years test rugby under their belt so they’re probably going to get about three years learning in the next two weeks. That will be brilliant. That will stand to us in future. We just have to have patience with it. Everybody expects success but it doesn’t build overnight.”

Kidney was visibly frustrated after the Auckland drubbing, and would not be drawn on specifics, but the Irish boss was clearly not happy with aspects of his team’s preparations for this gruelling three-test tour.

Having to pitch a rookie tighthead with only seven Heineken Cup starts to his name against the most-capped All Black prop of all time was not an ideal scenario for the head coach nor was having to bring on another scrummaging greenhorn in Ronan Loughney.

“A tour to New Zealand, a three test series, everybody knows what it takes to get right for that,” he said. “You will need a few weeks’ preparation leading up to it but there’s a lot of things that go on. It’s a complex situation but it’s also where we are as a team.

“There has been quite a player turnover. You don’t lose players like David Wallace, Denis Leamy and John Hayes’ ilk and then come to New Zealand and just think well the next fellas will be used to it.”

Kidney’s side are now facing down the barrel of a 3-0 whitewash with desperately difficult assignments in Christchurch and Hamilton to come.

“I know what it takes to bring a team around. It’s just the time and the patience that is going to be needed to do that. We can gain heaps out of this tour.”

Kidney’s positivity is admirable but this tour could get even nastier next weekend in Richie McCaw’s home town. New Zealand were by no means flawless and will not start so poorly in what should be a emotionally-charged occasion in Christchurch.

Hat-trick hero Julian Savea, scrum-half Aaron Smith and young lock Brodie Retallick all took to international rugby like ducks to water while the likes of Israel Dagg, Daniel Carter and Kieran Read are all hitting ominous veins of form.

There were some positives for Ireland to take into their next meeting with the men in black, namely Donnacha Ryan’s towering performance in the engine room and Sean O’Brien’s heroic display in defence, but this injury-ravaged side will certainly be without Keith Earls, their best attacking back last time out, while Cian Healy looks to be running on empty at this stage.

A long, tough season is about to get even tougher.

IRELAND: R Kearney; F McFadden, B O’Driscoll (capt), K Earls (D Cave, 73), S Zebo; J Sexton (Ronan O’Gara 57), C Murray (Eoin Reddan, 62); C Healy (Sean Cronin 72), R Best, D Fitzpatrick (R Loughney 55), D Tuohy (D O’Callaghan, 62), D Ryan, P O’Mahony (K McLaughlin, 62), S O’Brien, J Heaslip.

NEW ZEALAND: I Dagg; Z Guildford (B Smith), C Smith, S Bill Williams, J Savea (A Cruden, 65); D Carter, A Smith (P Weepu, 59); T Woodcock, A Hore (H Elliot, 62), O Franks (Ben Franks 62), B Retallick (Ali Williams 53), S Whitelock, V Vito (A Thomsen 47), R McCaw (capt), K Read

Referee: Nigel Owens.