IT'S always the little things that matter most. With 73 minutes on the clock in Hamilton yesterday, Ireland were a single point behind and on the front foot. Seriously on the front foot. Geordan Murphy and Brian O'Driscoll had just combined down the right touchline and Paul O'Connell had Shane Horgan steaming forward on his left hand shoulder. One pass and Ireland were back in front, but it didn't happen, as Luke McAlister proved cute enough to intercept, and with the ball in hand he hacked the All Blacks down field. About 90 seconds later, after a bout of Irish errors, Troy Flavell, the All Blacks' substitute second row, was crossing the tryline, and that was the end of that little flirtation with history. It was another close call for Ireland in a first test in New Zealand but that particular catalogue is already bulging. They needed something more.

Not that there wasn't a lot to write home about. For a change in these parts, it wouldn't all have fitted on a postcard. For one, Ireland were hugely ambitious tactically, something we haven't seen too often. The players weren't afraid to think and act quickly when they got a head of steam going and in the way in which they attacked the All Blacks . . . with plenty of width and variety . . .bodes well for the next 15 months. There's clearly been a change of attitude since last November and these Irish players now appear to be trusted by their coach. Not before time, either.

Their defensive operation was also much improved.

Unlike the game between these sides in November, Ireland were hugely aggressive and attempted to get in their opponent's faces at the first possible opportunity.

The only blip came early on when Mils Muliaina busted through Ronan O'Gara, but after that Ireland's defence was solid, and O'Gara himself learned successfully, as did his team mates, that if you tackle the bustling centre low, you can get him to ground without a huge fuss. Then there were the things we take for granted. Ireland's lineout operation, both offensively and defensively, was once again immense. The way in which they forced the All Blacks to seek sanctuary with Chris Jack time and time again, certainly slowed down the ball to that potent home backline, and besides that, they also managed to thieve four throws from the visitors and generally muddle them into sloppy ball when they did find their man.

Again, this crew's mental strength often defied belief. In such a hostile rugby environment, as Eddie O'Sullivan termed this country during the week, Ireland refused to give up the ghost. They conceded a try after just 40 seconds and everybody watching must surely have felt that they'd capitulate. But both then, and when they conceded another at the start of the second half, Ireland came back and hit the All Blacks even harder than they'd been hit themselves.

But looking back on it all this morning in the cold light of day, Ronan O'Gara and O'Connell will probably still be wondering how they allowed Muliaina to slip through the channel with just 30 seconds on the clock to set up Doug Howlett's try 10 seconds later.

It was a tough blow to take so early but after McAlister and Maugher had both kicked out on the full, Ireland got a decent foothold on proceedings again.

It all started with a lineout inside the All Blacks 22 on the left, one that Jerry Flannery had earned with his wilful aggression around the fringes. What was perhaps more crucial, though, was the fact that the tourists resisted the attempts to maul forward and instead an O'Gara pass, and then a skip ball from D'Arcy, put O'Driscoll in to the right of the sticks. It was sweet and easy. O'Gara's convertion then put Ireland ahead, and before the interval it got even better.

The Munster out-half knocked over a penalty on 13 minutes after a high tackle on David Wallace, and although McAlister found his kicking boots to haul Ireland back, two more O'Gara penalties before the interval, both from about 35 yards out in front of the posts, gave the visitors a thoroughly impressive and hugely-deserved 138 half-time lead.

If the impossible was going to happen you felt Ireland would have to start the second period safely. But they didn't.

Within four minutes Joe Rokococo came off McAlister's right shoulder to initiate a move that saw the ball go through the hands of Nonu and Maugher before Muliaina finished things off, but Ireland showed yet more mental strength. Geordan Murphy chipped a ball up the right touchline that New Zealand made a complete hash of and after O'Connell and Shane Horgan both had a go at the line, O'Gara fended off McAlister to put Trimble over.

O'Gara's conversion restored Ireland's half-time lead of eight points, but as the All Blacks began to use their forwards more . . . and specifically their maul . . . Ireland started conceding penalties and McAlister knocked three over within the space of 14 minutes to put the All Blacks ahead. Then came the disastrous endgame, with Nonu knocking Stringer to the ground before releasing Troy Flavell for the try that finished it. Before the finish, McAlister added another penalty. The fact he was even taking the points so late showed how much of a scare the All Blacks had received.

SCORING SEQUENCE 1 min Howlett try, 5-0 11 mins O'Driscoll try, O'Gara con 5-7 13 mins O'Gara pen, 5-10 24 mins McAlister pen, 8-10 33 mins O'Gara pen, 8-13 40+6 mins O'Gara pen, 8-16 44 mins Muliaina try, McAlister con 1516 49 mins Trimble try, O'Gara con 15-23 58 mins McAlister pen, 18-23 60 mins McAlister pen, 21-23 72 mins McAlister pen, 24-23 75 mins Flavell try, McAlister con 31-23 78 mins McAlister pen, 34-23