They were ripped apart in the opening half and were reduced to 14 when Jamie Heaslip was sent off in the 16th minute followed soon after to the sideline by Ronan O'Gara who saw yellow after pulling Richie McCaw back as the flanker chased a kick ahead.

They also lost John Muldoon (suspected broken arm) and Mick O'Driscoll (hamstring) through injury although it was O'Driscoll's replacement Dan Tuohy who saved Ireland's  blushes in the opening half with a try just before the break.

However Ireland were already 38 points behind by then and they were fourteen points further in arrears after Conrad Smith and Sam Whitelock scored tries at the start of the third quarter.

Graham Henry rang the changes removing the likes of Dan Carter and Jimmy Cowen but Ireland showed great resolve and scored a brace of tries - Brian O'Driscoll from a great Tony Buckley offload and Tommy Bowe off an intercept before Neemia Tialata scored his side's eight try of the night.

Andrew Trimble was denied a score in the corner by the eye in the sky before Gordon D'Arcy skated in but as is their wont, the Blacks came back downfield for Whitelock to grab his second and New Zealand's ninth try