Extra steel has been added to the All Blacks-Ireland Test in Dublin on Friday night with the home team’s early exit from last year’s Rugby World Cup at New Zealand’s hand, post-game on-field sledging and continuing Irish success in South Africa in July.
Match Details: All Blacks v Ireland, Friday, November 8, 8.10pm GMT (Saturday, November 9, 9.10am NZDT), Aviva Stadium, Dublin.
Played: 37
Won: All Blacks 31, Ireland 5, Drawn 1
Last time: New Zealand 28-24 Ireland, Stade de France, Paris, October 14, 2023
Referee: Nick Berry
THE CONTEST UP FRONT
Scrummaging contests have been at the core of recent Tests between the sides and both have made interesting changes. The All Blacks have decided to start Tamaiti Williams again instead of reintroducing Ethan de Groot, who was suspended for a breach of team protocols last week. But, Ireland will also be without a central pillar in Tadgh Furlong. Ireland coach Andy Farrell said when Furlong joined the side in camp, it was hoped he could work through a hamstring strain, but it hasn’t recovered quickly enough. However, his replacement Finlay Bealham brings 42 caps to the side, so it is still an experienced Ireland front row.
THE KIWI CONNECTION
Links between Ireland and New Zealand run deep in society and that is reflected in the Test. Players halfback Jamison Gibson-Park, second five-eighths Bundee Aki and wing James Lowe are all New Zealanders who came through Super Rugby franchises before throwing in their lot with Ireland, initially with clubs, but then qualifying for Tests. Added to that mix is coach Andrew Goodman, a former member of Scott Robertson’s Crusaders coaching group. And Robertson, played a season of rugby as a youth in Ulster and admits it had a big impact on him, giving him the drive to be the best rugby player he could while also getting an education that helped him into post-playing career coaching.
PREPARING TO PLAY THE ALL BLACKS
Ireland coach Andy Farrell said the difference between preparing to play the All Blacks and other teams was ‘a subconscious thing’. “Probably just because of the nature of the battles that we’ve had and the drama that’s unfolded within those games, we all get excited. We’re all rugby fans as well, you know. It’s the first game of the international season at the Aviva. If you can’t get excited about that, we’re in the wrong place. The focus has been on getting up to speed and seeing where we can improve our game first and foremost.”
WATCH AROUND THE WORLD
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TEAMS (Test caps in brackets)
New Zealand: 1.Tamaiti Williams, 2.Asafo Aumua, 3.Tyrel Lomax, 4.Scott Barrett (77-captain), 5.Tupou Vaa’i (35), 6.Wallace Sititi (7), 7.Sam Cane (102), 8.Ardie Savea (91), 9.Cortez Ratima (9), 10.Damian McKenzie (58), 11.Caleb Clarke (26), 12.Jordie Barrett (66), 13.Rieko Ioane (78), 14.Mark Tele’a (17), 15.Will Jordan (38).
Substitutes: 16 George Bell (2), 17.Ofa Tu’ungafasi (65), 18.Pasilio Tosi (5), 19.Patrick Tuipulotu (48), 20.Samipeni Finau (6), 21.Cam Roigard (7), 22.Anton Lienert-Brown (81), 23.Stephen Perofeta (6).
Ireland: 1.Andrew Porter (66), 2.Ronan Kelleher (33), 3.Finlay Bealham (42), 4.Joe McCarthy (12), 5.James Ryan (64), 6. Tadhg Beirne (52), 7.Josh ven der Flier (64), 8.Caelan Doris (43-captain), 9.Jamison Gibson-Park (35), 10.Jack Crowley (16), 11.James Lowe (33), 12.Bundee Aki (57), 13.Garry Ringrose (60), 14.Mack Hansen (21), 15.Hugo Keenan (39).
Substitutes: 16.Rob Herring (40), 17.Cian Healy (131), 18.Tom O’Toole (13), 19.Iain Henderson (81), 20.Peter O’Mahony (107), 21.Conor Murray (118), 22.Ciaran Frawley (6), 23.Jamie Osborne (2).
