Ireland's RWC dreams ended by clinical New Zealand

A familiar feeling, but one that never gets any easier.

Ireland's World Cup dream is over, and once again it’s ended at the quarter-final hurdle.

This time we believed it would be different and in a way it was. For once, New Zealand were underdogs against this all-conquering Irish side, but it was the All Blacks who showed their class. There can be no denying the better team won at the Stade de France.

It will come as little consolation to Ireland that their 28-24 defeat was one of the all-time great World Cup games. This wasn’t like Wellington in 2011 where they never landed a shot, or Cardiff or Tokyo where they were blown out of the water. Andy Farrell’s side looked like they had this game lost three times over and were still there at the end with a chance to win. It will come as little consolation.

The game was lost at the setpiece, with their scrum giving up three penalties and a lineout that gave sloppy ball, particularly in the opening half.

At one stage in the opening half, it looked like they were toast, with Leicester Fainga'anuku running in the opening try on 18 minutes as the All Blacks racked up a 13-0 lead.

Every time it looked like New Zealand were in control, Ireland came back. Bundee Aki’s sensational try got Ireland back to 13-10, and after Ardie Savea crossed for a second All Blacks try, Jamison Gibson-Park responded to make it 18-17 by the break.

For all of Ireland’s fight, they could just never get their noses in front, and traded tries with New Zealand after the break, Will Jordan scoring off a glorious first-phase lineout play before Ireland kept in touch with a penalty try.

They could only ever keep in touch though, and New Zealand consistently came up with answers, even when Ireland launched one final,