There comes a time when a man ascends even what he himself believes he is capable of doing. Andrew Trimble went beyond his limits for that final 15 minutes against New Zealand.
Trimble was having one of those solid, reliable games. Doing exactly what he was tasked to do, chasing hard, making his tackles count but hardly putting the fear of God into the All Blacks.
His best contribution, in that 40-29 Irish victory, was a supreme tackle around Julian Savea’s ankles when you feared the worst. ‘The Black Bus’ up against ‘Trimby’. Please, no…
Then, this happened.
Out you go Julian.
The Kiwis kept coming. They backed themselves to do to Ireland what they have done plenty of times in the past.
When the game was on the line though, as New Zealand got back to within four points and with 15 minutes left in the match, a different Trimble emerged. A Trimble that was not walking off that f***ing pitch without winning that game.
He became possessed.
In those final 15 minutes, Trimble made three huge contributions that helped Ireland kill off the world champions.
On 66 minutes, CJ Stander got himself isolated on the halfway line and the All Blacks sprung. The ball was spread wide and the Kiwis were one pass out from getting through. Trimble rushed up and put the hammer down on Beauden Barrett to force a knock-on.
Still, the Ulster winger wasn’t finished.
Seven minutes left on the clock and the All Blacks were putting on immense pressure, phase after phase. After getting repelled by the dogged likes of Robbie Henshaw and Rory Best, they flooded the left wing again.
Trimble was not having it. He went headlong for Liam Squire, all 6-foot-5, 18-stone of him. The flanker was so worried about getting smashed that his pass was forward, and skittered out of play.
He got smashed to0.
Winger on flanker. Only one winner.
And then there was one of Trimble’s final contributions. He stormed over on the kick-chase after Simon Zebo’s smart chip ahead. Conor Murray made the big tackle on Savea but Trimble was there to help force that five-metre scrum that proved so crucial in that Henshaw try.
Saturday was Trimble’s day. It was Ireland’s day.
He saw to it.
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