With one of Rugby’s biggest international fixtures taking place this evening, Daire Lydon takes a look at the state of affairs heading into Ireland vs New Zealand.
The Autumn rugby international series opened this weekend and on Friday night, in a mouth-watering clash of heavyweights, Andy Farrell's Ireland side will face the famed All Blacks in the Aviva Stadium. Here are some of the key talking points ahead of the most anticipated game of the round.
World Cup hangover
Ireland were warm favourites when the sides met during last year’s World Cup but, on a bitterly disappointing autumnal Saturday night in Paris, Ireland fell agonisingly short by a scoreline of 28-24. It was a deeply depressing evening for Irish fans. In the previous eight world cups Ireland had never won a knockout game, but were heavily touted to break this hoodoo. They had beaten New Zealand four times since their first victory in Chicago in 2016.
Bitter Rivalry
Sledging has become a constant companion of this increasingly bitter rivalry. In 2022, on the occasion of Ireland's series win in New Zealand, a snipe by Peter O’Mahony to All Blacks skipper Sam Cane was picked up on the ref’s mic for all to hear. The Munsterman called Cane a “sh*t Richie McCaw”. The 2023 World Cup fixture was feistier still. Actions from New Zealand star Rieko Ioane caused a stir around Ireland after the game. Gerry Thornley of the Irish Times criticised Ioane’s “classless gesture”, of shushing the Irish fans at full time. In his recently released autobiography, Jonathan Sexton revealed that Ioane had also taunted him after the match saying “ Don’t miss your flight home tomorrow. Enjoy your retirement you c***”. Sexton countered this referencing the All Blacks famous “no d***heads policy” , describing Ioane as a “fake humble f***er”.
The sledging rivalry did not stop there. New Zealand second row Brodie Retallick was also revealed to have jeered at Ireland's Peter O’Mahony at full time “Oi Peter, four more years you f***wit”.
Ioane didn’t keep his silence either, taking to Instagram to respond to Sexton's comments with a photo of himself and Sexton on his Instagram story with a segment of the unofficial Irish rugby anthem zombie playing over it which says “in your head, in your head”.
Last May, Irish winger Mack Hansen circled Friday's game as a target for the Irish team stating “There’s going to be a bit of feeling in that New Zealand game. Especially with the way things ended after the [World cup] game”. Hansen went on to say that there would be “trash talk” from both sides “but mostly, it was from the New Zealand side, and their WAGs, you know, Fair play - Letting their girlfriends do their fighting for them”.
Certainly there will be no love lost between the sides come Friday.
Recent form
The two sides have met a total of 37 times with Ireland's first victory coming in the Soldier Field in Chicago in 2016. Since then, the sides have met eight times with four wins apiece.
Ireland are in hot form, coming off the back of a successful summer series where they drew a series 1-1 in South Africa against the world champions, beating them at home for only the second time ever. By contrast, New Zealand have had a mediocre rugby championship, losing twice to South Africa and at home to Argentina, and finishing third behind both of them. They have since comprehensively beaten a poor Japan side 64-19 and enjoyed a huge slice of luck in beating England 24-22 on Saturday after George Ford spurned two late opportunities to clinch it at the death.
On form alone, Ireland should be strong favourites, but form matters little in rivalries of this nature.
Injury woes
During the England game, New Zealand suffered two injury blows; both Codie Taylor and Beauden Barrett suffered head injuries and will miss the Ireland match. Ireland will be without their 2023 World team of the year hooker Dan Sheehan who suffered ACL damage in July during Ireland's series with South Africa, as well as tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong who suffered an injury in training on Tuesday.
Response to the Haka
There are few greater sights in world rugby than the iconic haka, a traditional maori tribal battle preparation. It is an intimidating war dance that often unsettles opposition players before the game even starts. The first time Ireland defeated the All Blacks in 2016, the players fronted up to the haka by forming a figure of 8 in remembrance of Ireland and Munster legend and no. 8 Axel Foley who died suddenly in Paris the previous month. It was a powerful antidote to the haka and carried its own message: we are here to make a statement in his memory - and they did. Ireland also formed the figure of 8 when they met New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup last year. It was Axel’s seventh anniversary.
In all of the side’s recent clashes in Ireland or neutral venues, Irish supporters have sung the fields of Athenry so loudly that it drowned out the chanting during the ancient war dance, much to the chagrin of the New Zealand supporters and media.
Watch out to see what happens next Friday night!
Doris vs Savea
One of the biggest personal match-ups will be the battle of the number 8s with Ireland's Caelan Doris up against New Zealand’s Ardie Savea. They are widely considered as the top two players in the world in their positions and will be eager to score points on one another. Doris has been named captain of the Irish squad for the series and has been tipped as a possible candidate for Lions captain when the Lions tour Australia next summer. Savea was named as the 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year following his performances in the Rugby World Cup. Notably Doris was also named in the team of the year as a flanker.
Other key players to watch
Jordie Barrett: Leinster-bound Jordie Barrett will be togging out against his future team-mates on Friday. The Hurricanes and New Zealand star signed a short term contract with Leinster and will join his new team-mates in December. Barrett will be eager to impress coach, Leo Cullen, in his aim to win a spot in the Leinster starting lineup. His future team-mates will be sure to have a warm reception for him.
Mark Tele’a : A late bloomer Tele’a burst onto the scene aged 25 when he scored two tries against Scotland on his debut. However he really came into his own in the 2023 Rugby World Cup scoring twice against France and featuring in all of New Zealand’s games, apart from the quarter final win against Ireland. He had been dropped for breaching team protocol. His World Cup performances earned him the 2023 World Rugby 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year award.
Bundee Aki: Not all the talent will be in black as Ireland have their own stars. Ireland's standout star of the Rugby World Cup Aki is coming off the back of his best season to date. Aki was one of four players nominated for Player of the 2023 Rugby World Cup and in January 2024 was named Guinness Rugby writers of Ireland Men’s player of the year.
Jamison Gibson-Park: Arguably the most crucial cog in the Leinster and Ireland machine, Gibson-Park has been praised as responsible for Ireland's speed of play and is renowned as one of the best scrum halves in the world. If Ireland are to defeat the All Blacks on Friday, he will need to be firing on all cylinders
Jack Crowley: Since Sexton’s retirement, Crowley has grabbed the number 10 jersey with two hands. Crowley has emerged as a promising replacement and impressed in the 2024 Six Nations and on Ireland's Tour of South Africa. He will compete for the number 10 jersey with Ciaran Frawley who grabbed the headlines in the second test in South Africa securing victory for Ireland off the bench with a late drop goal. This will be a big test for Crowley, with Frawley and young superstar, Sam Prendergast, both looking over his shoulder.
In the wake of the World Cup disappointment, Ireland will be so eager to get one over on their new foes. It promises to be an explosive night and the highlight of the complete Autumn series. If you are lucky enough to have tickets, you are in for an absolute thriller. If not, there is always the sofa or the pub. Either way, don't miss it. Kick off is at 8.10pm on Friday November 8, it will be shown live on Virgin Media and TNT sport.