The Irish Times' Gerry Thornley believes Ireland's narrow defeat to the New Zealand Maori was one that got away.
"Grasping for tackles and trailing 18-3 before the first quarter was over, Ireland’s dirt-trackers played themselves into a winning position, only to let it slip in losing to the Maoris 31-28 in Rotarua yesterday. They move on to Brisbane acutely disappointed, but with a revived spring in their step.
"Save for that slightly scary start, which promised yet more of the usual pain in the land of the long white cloud, the body language, the attitude and the line speed and leg strength in contact, especially in defence, and use of possession was far better than last Saturday’s grim night in New Plymouth against the All Blacks."
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