By BRENDAN GALLAGHER

IRELAND, for the first time on home soil, beat New Zealand amid extraordinary scenes at a riotous Avia Stadium in a game that more than lived up to its billing as the unofficial world championship for 2018.
New Zealand might remain the world ranked number one side but Ireland are manifestly right there with them as joint favourites for the World Cup in Japan next year.
The win was well deserved, there was no element of luck, with Ireland’s rock-solid defence at the heart of it. New Zealand have been averaging nearly six tries per game in the Rugby Championship b...