All Blacks Dash Ireland's Rugby Dreams, Advancing to World Cup Semis

New Zealand reaffirmed its rampant force in rugby on Saturday as it muscled through Ireland's staunch resistance, defeating them 28-24 in an edge-of-your-seat World Cup quarter-final. The loss heralds a sorrowful end to the remarkable career of Irish captain Johnny Sexton.

Last year, Ireland pulled off a historic home series victory against the All Blacks. However, in a somewhat poetic turn of events, New Zealand surpassed Ireland ruthlessly in the French stadium, squashing relentless efforts from Andy Farrell's team to make it to their first-ever semi-final.

Thriving off the pressure, the All Blacks capitalized on their early dominance, earning a penalty which Richie Mo'unga effectively converted for a 3-0 lead. Jordie Barrett added another three points with a long-range penalty, taking them to a 6-0 lead.

New Zealand escalated their advantage to 13-0 after a brilliant move concluded in Leicester Fainga'anuku touching down. However, the Irish resilience shone as the team rallied and chipped away at the Kiwi's lead, with James Lowe's long pass finding Bundee Aki who managed to evade several tackles and touch down.

While the Irish showed promise, the All Blacks made a triumphant return, bolstering their lead to 18-10 courtesy of Ardie Savea's impressive run. Ireland, however, didn't throw in the towel, securing a boost when Aaron Smith was penalized, and Jamison Gibson-Park successfully spotted an opening and went over to touch down.

Despite juggling several penalties in the second half, the All Blacks reproved their clinical approach as they capitalized on Ireland's lapses, with Will Jordan scoring off a brilliant break. With just 11 minutes left, Jordie Barrett drilled another long-range penalty to push the lead to 28-24, marking a hard-fought victory for the Kiwis.