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When Ireland and the All Blacks meet in Chicago on November 1, the two modern heavyweights will renew their recent rivalry that has dominated the international rugby landscape over the past decade. Their last meeting at Soldier Field in 2016 changed the course of the Ireland team’s trajectory, as Ireland claimed their first-ever win over New Zealand. Since then, every encounter has carried a bit of an edge to it and this latest chapter promises to even more intruiging given where these two teams sit now. This test comes at a critical juncture in both teams trajectory.
Ireland Rivalry Stands Above at the Moment
South African fans may not want to hear this, but the rivalry between Ireland and New Zealand has become one of the great draw-cards in world rugby. Since that famous breakthrough win in Chicago, their past ten meetings have been split evenly. In 2022, Ireland achieved the remarkable feat of winning on New Zealand soil for the first time, before sealing a 2–1 series triumph. Their most recent clash last years saw the All Blacks beat Ireland 23–13 in Dublin, ending Ireland’s 19-match winning streak at the Aviva Stadium.
What began as a shock upset has evolved into a genuine rivalry, which has raised Ireland’s game and propelled them to number 1 in the world as recently as this year. The extra spice this fixture has delivered has been entertaining, whether it was Peter O’Mahony’s comments about Sam Cane, or the feud between Johnny Sexton and Reiko Ioane. Last year’s result will have left Ireland disappointed after a massive build-up to the game resulted in a underwhelming loss, and now the pressure is firmly on Farrell’s men to maintain their run of form. With every success comes expectation.
Have Ireland Peaked?
Ireland are now at an interesting stage in their development. Many of their stalwarts who have their played in Ireland’s success over the All Blacks, including Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson and Jamison Gibson-Park, are all in their mid-thirties. It begs the question: are these players still the backbone for the next Rugby World Cup cycle?
Ireland need to be practical in blooding the next generation. Players like Craig Casey, Joe McCarthy, Dan Sheehan, Paddy McCarthy, Jamie Osborne, Ciaran Frawley, Tom O’Brien, Cian Prendergast, Jack Crowley, Ryan Baird, Sam Prendergast, Brian Gleeson and Diarmuid O’Donnoghue can form the new backbone of the Ireland team. The average age of Farrell’s emerging group is just 24, and he has the opportunity to refresh his squad with new foundations.
However, much of Ireland’s recent dominance has been built on Leinster’s cohesion and chemistry. With Leinster struggling for form early in the new season, there are questions about whether Ireland can continue to build off that platform. They need to balance staying at the top of the world rankings while ushering in the new crop. Can they maintain results while evolving?
All Blacks Searching for Identity
For the All Blacks, this test is about rediscovery. Under Scott Robertson, they’ve shown glimpses of brilliance but no consistent identity. Razor has spoken about playing high-tempo, fast and expansive rugby, but that hasn’t fully translated onto the pitch yet.
For years, New Zealand’s strength lay in their technical precision at the breakdown, their physical pressure, and their ability to punish mistakes with ruthless efficiency. That DNA needs to return. For the Chicago test, the All Blacks must go route one and outmuscle Ireland, dominate the gain line and with their trademark ruthlessness.
With Ardie Savea, Scott Barrett, Ethan de Groot and Tamaiti Williams, New Zealand have the pack to match Ireland physically. They also have the versatility across their backline to play multiple first receivers, stretching defences and creating scoring opportunities from anywhere on the field.
Chicago has always held special meaning in this rivalry, the city where Ireland first broke through for thier first ever win over the All Blacks. Now, with both sides at a turning point, they are now set for a collision course that will produce fireworks.
