Ireland seek double over the All Blacks

Ireland are bracing for a "blacklash" from the All Blacks as they prepare to face off in their second clash in two weeks.

It took the Irish 111 years to beat New Zealand. On Saturday, they'll be seeking a second win over the world champion All Blacks in two weeks.

"We are going into the game as the underdogs," said New Zealand coach Steve Hansen, words that stretch the truth - the All Blacks are $1.10 favourites with bookies - but will still hearten Ireland fans.

They aren't alone.

The All Blacks' reaction to a loss can be gauged by the seven years since any one team beat them back to back. That was South Africa.

Only two home nations have consecutive wins: Wales in 1935 and 1953, and England in 2002-03. Wales hasn't beaten them since, and England just once.

This is the size of the task facing Ireland, whose 40-29 win in Chicago on November. 5 was arguably the country's greatest moment in rugby, certainly in modern times.

Driven on by the memory of Anthony Foley, the popular former international who died weeks earlier, the Irish took advantage of a weakened, somewhat experimental line-up and sloppy All Blacks performance to score five tries.

"You'd love to think that we're favourites, wouldn't you?" Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said, reacting to Hansen's remark. "But I wouldn't suggest that Steve Hansen become a bookmaker.

"You certainly wouldn't put us as favourites. I think everyone is due a hiccup."

Schmidt has acknowledged Ireland caught the All Blacks at an "opportune moment" in Chicago, partly due to the absences of first-choice locks Sam Whitelock (ankle) and Brodie Retallick (concussion).

Without that pair, Ireland bossed the mauls and disrupted lineouts, where hooker Dane Coles came under pressure on throw-ins. Ireland also competed for kickoff ball, forcing more errors.

Whitelock and Retallick are back, though Jerome Kaino is out with a minor calf injury. Otherwise, the All Blacks are back to full strength, with Beauden Barrett at flyhalf in his first game since being named world player of the year.

Ireland, whose only change from Chicago has Sean O'Brien replacing the injured Jordi Murphy at openside flanker, is expecting a "Blacklash."

"It wasn't the New Zealand that we had been used to seeing throughout the Rugby Championship," Ireland fullback Rob Kearney said, recalling the game in Chicago.

"It's really important that we recognise and understand that."

That loss ended the All Blacks' record 18-test winning run, and they began a new one by thrashing Italy 68-10 last weekend. Next stop is Dublin, where they scored an injury-time try and conversion to beat the Irish 24-22 on their last visit in 2014.

"They'll be full of confidence and committed to delivering on their home patch," Hansen said. "So we will have to take a massive step up, to get the performance we are looking for.

"It is a challenge that this team needs right now and how we respond will tell us a lot about ourselves."


Share
3 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world