Thorn is congratulated on his try against the Irish at Croke Park © Getty Images

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For once Brad Thorn didn't trust the physical attributes that define him as a professional rugby player.

But second time round he backed his instincts and barrelled through the Irish defence to put the All Blacks into an unassailable lead at Croke Park last night. Thorn scored the decisive try in the 53rd minute to give the All Blacks a 22-3 lead, a margin they maintained for the remainder of the match.

The lock's third try for the All Blacks was especially sweet -- it was his first since the third and fourth place playoff against France at the 2003 World Cup -- and came soon after he didn't back his bulk to make the line. Thorn might have scored in the first half but instead passed to Rodney So'oialo, who was enveloped by scrambling Irish defence.

The missed opportunity gnawed away at Thorn, and he vowed to make amends if another scoring chance came his way. "In the first half I had an opportunity when I did a flick pass to Rodney, I think I would have been better to wait for them to commit to me. In the second half I decided if I got the ball I was going to make them have to tackle me."

A looping pass from Mils Muliaina set the 113kg lock in motion and although Thorn had an unmarked Joe Rokocoko outside him he headed straight for the line and helpless defender Tommy Bowe. Thorn ploughed through the wing to mark his first cap in the northern hemisphere with a rare try.

"If they had their time again they might have come up at me. They sort of waited, that made it a bit easier," he said. Thorn's full-steam-ahead approach marked his change of mindset after halftime of a test where New Zealand's domination did not always translate into points.

"It felt like we had a really good flow going on but we just weren't finishing sometimes," Thorn said. "Sometimes we were pushing the ball sideways instead of straightening up. For me, when I got an opportunity I wanted to make sure I straightened up and committed the tackler."

He was as good as his word, notching New Zealand's third try in 13 minutes to effectively end the contest before the final quarter and keep the All Blacks' Grand Slam dream alive at the halfway point. The defeat of the Irish followed the All Blacks' 32-6 victory over Scotland on Murrayfield last weekend, a test Thorn was irked to miss on grounds of player rotation.

"As you know some of us really wanted to play (against Scotland), it was good to get out there again."

Thorn was bristling to renew his locking partnership with Ali Williams and admitted to being unusually nervous leading into the match. He was aware the visit to Croke Park was a historic occasion and the All Blacks had not lost to Ireland in 21 previous tests.

"It's probably as nervous as I've been since the Wellington game against the Springboks where I got in a bit of trouble," Thorn said, referring to the one-game suspension imposed after he manhandled South African captain John Smit off the ball this year.

"I feared the Irish, I feared losing," he said. "There's a history of 21 tests ... no losses. It's something we used to fear at the (Brisbane) Broncos -- teams always wanted to knock you off."

The surroundings also played a part. "It's a very special place in Ireland to play, 82,000 people ... I just knew it was a big event."

Typically, the 33-year-old rose to the big occasion. He was a reliable lineout option, carted the ball up one off the ruck and did his share of defensive work.