Rugby-All Blacks show character to rally from Chicago defeat

By Conor Humphries DUBLIN, Nov 19 (Reuters) - World champions New Zealand passed a test of character as they rebounded from their shock defeat by Ireland in Chicago two weeks ago by winning 21-9 in Dublin on Saturday. Another Irish win would have represented the first back-to-back defeats for the All Blacks against any team since 2009 when they lost three in a row to South Africa. "The pressure of expectation that was set this week will hold us in good stead for the future," captain Kieran Read told reporters. New Zealand now play France next week in their final game of 2016 with the defeat in Chicago the only blemish on their year. "Did we play the smartest game of rugby? I wouldn't think so but it was a tough game, our character was tested," said visiting coach Steve Hansen. "At the end of the day the boys came through at the right side of the ledger and character comes through. To be able to do that was pleasing." Hansen said his team were not mentally right going into the game in Chicago and they were not going to make the same mistake twice. "In Chicago I think we turned up five percent off ... and we got punished for it," he said. " we turned up with the right attitude from the start." Ireland face Australia in their last match of the season next week with a depleted squad after Simon Zebo and Jonathan Sexton went off injured. They impressed New Zealand with their tenacity over the two-test series. "I think there is a willingness and a desire to be better all the time when you hear them talking... that's the sign of a good team that is going places," said Read. "If they play with the same character they played with against us, I think they will just get better and better and harder and harder to beat." (Editing by Tony Jimenez)