Watch: The 'Black-lash' test that had Irish fans shocked over the intensity of the All Blacks' retribution
Ireland’s infamous win over the All Blacks in Chicago in 2016 was celebrated as the coming of age for Irish rugby, securing their first-ever win over New Zealand.
The Irish had a chance to replicate the deed two weeks later on home turf at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin but were met by an All Blacks side hellbent on retribution.
It became known as the ‘Black-lash’ test that shone a light on the game’s tackle laws and may have even by the catalyst for radical changes that were widely criticized during the 2019 Rugby World Cup three years later.
Irish fans were left fuming as the on-field casualties piled up by reckless and punishing hits, while the All Blacks racked up a 14-4 penalty count against them.
“I thought I was at the Colosseum on Saturday night,” Irish journalist Paul Kimmage said on The Last Word radio show, going on to describe the game as ‘deeply disturbing’.
“It was probably the most compelling sporting event I’ve been at this year. Just absolutely compelling. Riveting viewing. But deeply, deeply disturbing.”
“What happened to Robbie Henshaw is a disgrace. I think there was three head injuries, a number of neck injuries, and I think this is something that the sport really, really needs to be addressed.”
Irish centre Robbie Henshaw left the field on a stretcher in the 10th minute after a high tackle from Sam Cane.
Bouncing off the first tackle of Kieran Read, Henshaw was met head-on by Cane where he was blunted in a shoulder-to-head tackle that left him unconscious.
A number of other Irish players were also on the receiving end of high challenges, and Malakai Fekitoa was yellow-carded in the second half after a high shot on Simon Zebo.
Robbie Henshaw, CJ Stander, and Rob Kearney all required HIA while Jonathan Sexton came away with a hamstring injury.
At least 11 incidents referred to citing commissioner following NZ win. Just 1 Irish player! At least 10 for All Blacks.. unprecedented!
— Darren Frehill (@Darrenfrehill) November 21, 2016
The biggest problem with Sam Cane not getting a card is that it gave NZ licence to go high again. They knew what they could get away with.
— Neil Treacy (@neil_treacy) November 20, 2016
That was a shocking high tackle on Henshaw yesterday, arms etc irrelevant it was high, high, high
— John Beattie (@BBCJohnBeattie) November 20, 2016
Even former England international Jeremy Guscott waded in to the debate, calling for referees to ‘look harder at New Zealand’.
“The All Blacks have to watch their high tackles – they have got a reputation for it and have had two players cited from Saturday,” he wrote for BBC Sport.
“They understand the laws of the game, where the boundaries are and how the referee might react. They use it to their advantage.”
“Referees need to look harder at New Zealand – their speed and intensity means the game moves so quickly, but they are canny.”
Captain Rory Best called for World Rugby to make the game safer in the post-match press conference, which they did, implementing much tougher penalties for contact with the head.
Overshadowed in the wash-up was a man-of-the-match performance by Beauden Barrett that sealed the first of his back-to-back World Rugby Player of the Year awards.
Barrett was involved in all of the All Blacks tries, including one for himself while coming up with a crucial try-saving tackle on Sean O’Brien in the 21-9 win.
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to comments