All Blacks captain Scott Barrett: I don't usually take exception but I saw something that was below the line

If there was any real flashpoint then it came 14 minutes in when, after a break in play, Barrett sought out opposing lock Joe McCarthy for a few choice words.

TOUGH NIGHT: Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park is tackled by New Zealand's Scott Barrett.  Pic: Brian Lawless/PA Wire.

For all the talk of rivalry and revenge, Ireland’s Friday night meeting with the All Blacks never came close to the infamous clash at the Aviva Stadium in 2016 when the visitors took crude revenge for Ireland’s historic win in Chicago a fortnight before.

If there was any real flashpoint then it came 14 minutes in when, after a break in play, Kiwi captain Scott Barrett sought out opposing lock Joe McCarthy for a few choice words and a bit of argy bargy after the Leinster man had come in contact with Damian McKenzie.

“Yeah, I don't usually take exception but I saw something that was, I guess, below the line for me,” said Barrett who grabbed McCarthy by the collar in remonstration. “I guess you had to make a point of 'you’re not targeting our 10 tonight’.”

This wasn’t a dirty game. He was quick to say as much. But while most players would cut off the question at that, Barrett was content enough to expand on the perceived infraction in a game that was nip and tuck through most of the 80 minutes.

“I think I was getting up from a ruck and from where I saw it, it looked like Damian was on the ground and Joe cleaned him up.

“From where I saw it it looked like it was around his head. Whether it was or not, I'm not too sure, but I guess I took exception in that moment. It may not have been, I'm not too sure.”

That’s now five wins apiece for Ireland and New Zealand through their last ten meetings going back to, and including, Soldier Field. It’s a rivalry that is up there with the keenest in the Test game and this one had plenty of build-up.

New Zealand’s narrow win in last year’s World Cup quarter-final was an obvious reference point. So too the revelation recently that Rieko Ioane had been less than complementary to the retiring Johnny Sexton as the clock entered the red in Paris.

It was Ioane who led the haka this time in Dublin. Interesting.

“We've got a number of guys who can lead the Haka and it was Rieko's first opportunity,” said Barrett.

“We love it. The English walked forward [in Twickenham last week], the Irish did that as well, and you can hear the atmosphere and the crowd really getting in behind it.

“It sets the tone for what's in store.”

Ireland met the Maori challenge by shuffling forward slowly but determinedly rather than standing stock still as so many sides choose to do it. It was a motion that got the capacity crowd off its seats before the first whistle.

“Yeah, I guess it's them saying they're up for the challenge, which is great and is what Test matches are about,” said the skipper, “especially up here in the north, playing the best teams at home.”