Tomorrow's Irish papers will be filled with sad faces and slumped shoulders, it is of course, morning already in New Zealand and the papers have already been delivered.
One Kick To Save Them All - Waikato Times
A perfect finish to the perfect year.
In a finale that mirrored the dramas of the rugby league Kiwis just 24 hours earlier, it took the All Blacks until the final minute of a glorious test match to clinch a 24-22 victory over the gallant and desperately unlucky Irish.
In a conclusion that almost defied belief, the All Blacks conjured an 80th-minute try from 65 metres out to replacement back Ryan Crotty to level the scores at 22-22, then had to watch as an ice-cool Aaron Cruden required two shots at a near sideline conversion to snatch an epic victory.
It was a finish that sapped the life out of the capacity 52,000-strong crowd who had been at full voice all afternoon as they roared their team to what they thought was going to be a history-making victory.
It would have been no less than a fabulously committed Irish side would have deserved either.
All Blacks: McCaw - penalty miss gave us lift we needed - NZ Herald
"When they took that shot at goal, which would have put them out to eight points [ahead] the reality is if that had gone over it was probably game over,'' McCaw said.
"But when that missed you could sense a lift in the boys, we were still a chance and perhaps the Irish boys, they were trying to eat up time and when that happens you sense an opportunity could come.''
