Irish fans were on tenterhooks today, tuning in to see the boys in green take on the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final.
Manager Joe Schmidt put forward an experienced team but going up against defending world champions New Zealand, things were never going to come easily to us.
Starting off with a magical pre-match
moment, when fans drowned out the sound of the haka with
The Fields of Athenry, hoping to spur Ireland on to victory.
But even a heartwarming singsong could do nothing to improve matters for us as the All Blacks wasted little time in beginning a rout which finished 46-14.
A pair of late tries for Ireland proved to be no more than consolation on a day when two significant figures in Irish rugby bowed out.
Head coach, Schmidt, oversaw his last game while playing his last match for Ireland, captain Rory Best was understandably overwhelmed with emotions after the final whistle.
https://twitter.com/rugbyworldcup/status/1185531241782763520
https://twitter.com/rugbyworldcup/status/1185532777757839360
And though we were certainly hoping for a different outcome, as Rory himself said: "you have to give enormous credit to the All Blacks, they were fantastic".
An absolute warrior on and off the pitch, he'll be sadly missed.
