New Zealand celebrate the victory during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Quarter Final match between Ireland and New Zealand at Stade de France Photo: Xavier Laine
All Blacks v Ireland
Kick-off: 9:10am Saturday 9 November
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Live updates on RNZ Sport
After a hard-fought win over England at Twickenham over the weekend, things don't get any easier for the All Blacks. They have a short turnaround before the next big challenge, over the water in Dublin where Ireland lie in wait. The two sides will play a rematch of last year's epic World Cup quarter final, won 28-24 by the All Blacks, but the heated history between the sides goes back a few years further than that.
Why is this such a big deal?
While the All Blacks' traditional rivals have always been the Springboks, Wallabies, France and England, in the last decade Ireland have snapped out of a century of underperforming and become one of the best sides in the world. The result that brought that into All Blacks fans' consciousness was the breakthrough 40-29 win by Ireland in Chicago in 2016, after which they've proven that it was no fluke. Ireland have beaten the All Blacks four times since, including a stunning series victory in New Zealand two years ago.
The Irish owe a bit to New Zealand
Ireland winger James Lowe scores a try for Ireland against Scotland at the Rugby World Cup. Photo: Photosport
That Chicago win was overseen by Joe Schmidt, who went on to become an All Black assistant coach and now finds himself in charge of the Wallabies. There are Kiwi connections on the park, with Bundee Aki, James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park among the most important players in Ireland's recent success. All three have interesting paths to how they ended up in a green jersey, with only Lowe ever really in the conversation to be an All Black.
Is there much respect between the two sides and fanbases?
Concern showing for Irish fans, during the Rugby World Cup France 2023, Ireland v New Zealand All Blacks Quarter Final match at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on Saturday 14 October 2023. Photo: Photosport/ INPHO - Dan Sheridan
Not really. The All Blacks obviously haven't enjoyed losing to the Ireland and decided to enact some revenge the very next time they played after the Chicago result, winning a test in Dublin a fortnight later 21-9. However, that game is mostly remembered for the ferocious nature of the hits dished out by the All Blacks on their opponents, with a number of tackles targeting Irish players heads. Arguably the fallout from that game set in motion the crackdown on high shots and increase in yellow and red cards seen in rugby today. Add in the fact that both sides have taken some very important results against each other - the Irish series win in 2022 and the All Blacks winning consecutive World Cup quarter-finals - and the animosity keeps intensifying.
But it goes a bit further back than that, though?
Yes, acts of bad sportsmanship and thuggery go right back into the amateur era, most notably in 1989 when an annoying ball boy caused a perfectly legitimate Grant Fox try to be disallowed. At the 1995 World Cup Irish prop Gary Halpin issued a two-fingered salute to the All Blacks after scoring the first try of the match, then in 2010 Jamie Heaslip became the first player to be sent off in the fixture's history when he decided to knee Richie McCaw in the head in front of referee Wayne Barnes.
What's happened lately to stoke the fire?
Rieko Ioane thanks fans after the All Blacks won their quarter-final Rugby World Cup 2023 match against at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France on Saturday 14 October 2023. Photo: Photosport/ Andrew Cornaga
The quarter final last year was also Irish legend Johnny Sexton's last ever game, needless to say it didn't go the way he'd planned. Sexton recently outlined his thoughts on the dramatic finish in an autobiography, taking aim at Rieko Ioane for some words exchanged after the All Blacks won a crucial penalty to ice the game. Ioane fired back on social media, which will certainly mean he's in a for a hostile reception this Saturday morning.
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