Ireland are out for a measure of Rugby World Cup revenge as they host New Zealand in their Autumn Nations Series opener in Dublin.
Andy Farrell’s side were narrowly beaten by the All Blacks in a thrilling Paris quarter-final last October, ending their hopes of breaking their tournament hoodoo. While Farrell downplayed the revenge angle ahead of a blockbuster clash, suggesting his side needed no extra motivation for such a marquee fixture, any lingering hurt is sure to surface as his team look to right a few wrongs back on home soil.
The visitors began their European tour with a much-needed win over England last weekend, showing clear development as they fought back in the final quarter to secure victory.
Head injuries rule out two key figures in Beauden Barrett and Codie Taylor, though, and a short turnaround may also have posed head coach Scott Robertson a few problems as a gruelling November continues for the All Blacks.
Follow all of the action from the Aviva Stadium in our live blog below:
There has been a bit of criticism from Donncha O’Callaghan on Irish radio today about England’s failure to play New Zealand’s anthem properly at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham last week, so it should please the former Ireland lock that the brass band give both the All Blacks’ “God Defend New Zealand” and the home brace of anthems full welly.
The place fills fit to burst.
Out the players come into the Dublin night, the Aviva Stadium jumping. Ahead of the anthems, President Michael D Higgins makes his way out to greet the two teams, as is custom before fixtures here.
There is a bit of drizzle in the air, a greasy surface likely to make those high ball battles all the more important. We saw the crackdown on escorting observed impeccably by England and New Zealand last weekend - to the surprise of at least one senior England player we spoke to this week - and you’d imagine we will again see the push for a cleaner contest pay off. Can New Zealand go again just six days on from that hard-hitting encounter?
Trying to keep things largely under control will be the match officials, led by Australia’s Nic Berry.
Referee: Nic Berry (Aus)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Andrea Piardi (Ita)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
It’s 13 months since Rieko Ioane gave a beaten Johnny Sexton a send-off at the end of the World Cup quarter-final, the All Blacks centre telling the retiring Ireland fly half to make sure he doesn’t miss his flight among other more choice vocabulary in a short verbal spray. “So much for their humility,” Sexton wrote in his autobiography earlier this year of an exchange caught on camera that seems to have only served to strengthen the rivalry between these two teams.
Sexton has been back in Ireland camp this autumn doing a bit of coaching and mentoring work, though is thought to be steering clear of active involvement this evening. Ioane will, however, be at the centre of things - and can probably expect a bit of barracking from a Dublin crowd who should be well lubricated.
Caelan Doris is determined to harness the painful lessons of Ireland’s World Cup anguish as he prepares to begin his captaincy against New Zealand.
The 26-year-old admits he underperformed last October when Irish dreams of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup were extinguished by a heartbreaking 28-24 quarter-final loss to the All Blacks in Paris.
Doris has been a leading star of the Andy Farrell era and was named skipper for this month’s Autumn Nations Series, having twice previously fulfilled the role on a temporary basis.
The back-row forward describes his leadership style as “actions first” and is intent on delivering a performance in Friday evening’s sold-out Aviva Stadium showdown following last year’s disappointment.
“I’ve obviously reflected on that game and I know it wasn’t near one of my best performances or where I can get to,” he said of the quarter-final.
“It’s all part of the journey and the evolution of a player and of a person.
“I’m sure that game, some of the lessons from it, will lead to further development and growth for me. I’m looking forward to putting that into action.”
Head coach Andy Farrell hopes a raucous Dublin crowd can help Ireland topple the All Blacks.
A sold-out Aviva Stadium awaits New Zealand as the hosts attempt to right the wrongs of last year’s World Cup quarter-final exit in Paris.
Farrell, who dismissed the notion of revenge being a motivating factor, anticipates an electric atmosphere, with a planned pre-match light show set to fire up supporters.
New Zealand are without fly half Beauden Barrett and hooker Codie Taylor, who both failed head injury assessments during the win over England. Damian McKenzie steps into the starting side after a pivotal cameo off the bench last week, while Taylor’s replacement Asafo Aumua was similarly effective having been forced on inside ten minutes. Ethan de Groot remains absent after failing to meet internal standards.
New Zealand XV: 1 Tamaiti Williams, 2 Asafo Aumua, 3 Tyrel Lomax; 4 Scott Barrett (capt.), 5 Tupou Vaa’i; 6 Wallace Sititi, 7 Sam Cane, 8 Ardie Savea; 9 Cortez Ratima, 10 Damian McKenzie; 11 Caleb Clarke, 12 Jordie Barrett, 13 Rieko Ioane, 14 Mark Tele’a; 15 Will Jordan.
Replacements: 16 George Bell, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Samipeni Finau; 21 Cam Roigard, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Stephen Perofeta.
Ireland have suffered mixed injury news in the front row, where Ronan Kelleher is fit to start at hooker but Leinster colleague Tadhg Furlong is ruled out with a hamstring issue. Finlay Bealham steps in at tighthead while wing Mack Hansen is set for his first appearance in Irish green since last year’s World Cup quarter-final. Jack Crowley gets the nod ahead of Ciaran Frawley at fly half.
Ireland XV: 1 Andrew Porter, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 3 Finlay Bealham; 4 Joe McCarthy, 5 James Ryan; 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Caelan Doris (capt.); 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 10 Jack Crowley; 11 James Lowe, 12 Bundee Aki, 13 Garry Ringrose, 14 Mack Hansen; 15 Hugo Keenan.
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Tom O’Toole, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Peter O’Mahony; 21 Conor Murray, 22 Ciaran Frawley, 23 Jamie Osborne.
Victory for Ireland over New Zealand on Friday evening won’t wash away the pain of 14 October 2023. Those 37 phases of agony, yet another World Cup quarter-final exit and four years to ponder just how they came out on the wrong side of one of the most thrilling Tests of all time.
But 13 months on, the smallest measure of vengeance can be exacted at the Aviva Stadium.
Ireland will face New Zealand for the first time since their heartbreaking World Cup quarter-final defeat and Irish legend Brian O’Discoll believes the clash will define their autumn
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
