Ireland’s rugby heroes were overcome with emotion after securing a monumental and historic series win over the All Blacks.

Andy Farrell’s side set-up Saturday’s decider by winning for the first time ever on New Zealand soil last week, but went one better in Wellington, wrapping up the series with an ultimately convincing 32-22 victory.

‘It’s an incredible feeling. We spoke at the start of the tour,’ flanker Josh Van Der Flier told Sky Sports in the immediate aftermath.

‘It’s a tour you want to be on. It doesn’t get much harder.

‘This was the goal coming out here. It looked ropey after the first week but I’m unbelievably proud of the group.

‘It was great to finish off with a performance like that. It feels incredible.’

Van Der Flier set the tone for an astonishing triumph by scoring the first try of the contest in just the fourth minute as Ireland breached the New Zealand defence in the opening stages for the third week in succession.

The shell-shocked hosts were left with a mountain to climb when Hugo Keenan and Robbie Henshaw tries help Ireland to a scarcely comprehensible 19-point half-time lead.

New Zealand responded after the break, inevitably, through tries from Ardie Savea and Akira Ioane as the All Blacks threatened to pull of an incredible act of escapology.

Indeed, Ireland’s hopes of clinging on looked remote when prop Andrew Porter was sent to the sin bin six minutes after the interval and when Kiwi winger Will Andrew Jordan crossed to reduce the deficit to just three points the outcome looked inevitable.

Replacement hooker Rob Herring came to Ireland’s rescue, however, scoring the try that helped seal one of the most sensational sporting, let alone rugby, triumphs in Ireland’s history.

‘He was brave at the start. He stuck with some older lads and he got criticised. He brought in some younger lads. He’s just done an amazing job and all credit to him really.

‘It means a lot now. I know in a year’s time when the World Cup starts it won’t mean anything as we’re learnt before but we’ll certainly really enjoy tonight and maybe a couple of more days.

‘We’ve got to keep improving. That’s what we have to learn from previous years.’

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