Monday 21 November 2016 06:42, UK
Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt was proud of his players but frustrated at not clinching a second successive win over world champions New Zealand.
The 51-year-old Kiwi saw three of his key players - Jonathan Sexton, Robbie Henshaw and CJ Stander - leave the bruising battle within the first half hour in a match they ended up losing 21-9, although there was controversy involving two of the three tries the visitors scored.
"I am frustrated but really proud of the effort," said Schmidt, who steered Ireland to a historic first win in 29 Test meetings stretching back 111 years against the All Blacks a fortnight ago in Chicago.
"When you lose your fly-half (Sexton) and your inside centre (Henshaw) both of whom were immense in Chicago it is a huge loss.
"Both Paddy (Jackson, Sexton's replacement) and Garry (Ringrose, who came on for Henshaw) did huge jobs.
"However, I felt at times understandably given the changes in personnel we lost our shape and were a bit static.
"But at the same time the manner in which those who came on at such an early stage, and do not possess as much experience, demonstrated that we're building depth.
"Are they fully confident yet? Perhaps not but they will become so as they gain more experience."
Schmidt felt that even deep into the second half his team could win the game and become the first side since South Africa in 2009 to beat the All Blacks in successive matches.
"I thought when we trailed 14-9 we could win it," he said.
"So when you don't get a result after you pour on the pressure and drop a couple of balls close to the line and have a couple of our guys break the line but be held up it is very frustrating.
"I think the All Blacks were relieved to get off the pitch at the end the amount of pressure we put on them."
