AT SOME POINT, the Guinness question always gets asked of the tourist. To be fair, the fact that Beauden Barrett had posted a picture of him having a pint earlier in the week, meant it was fair-game.

And to be doubly fair, the question also led to the best quote of this morning’s press gig, Anton Lienert-Brown letting us in on the info that ‘we haven’t been drinking Guinness all week so don’t worry’.

You couldn’t blame them if they’d downed tools and just gone on the sauce all week. This, after all, has been a long season for the All Blacks, not just in terms of the number of games they have played, more to do with the fact they have spent so much of that time away from home.

There were the five weeks they had in Australia for the Tri-Nations. Then there is this November Series, which for New Zealand began in October, such are the demands placed on them. This is stopover number four, after time spent in Italy, Wales and the USA, where they chalked up the points. This week it has been the pints.

It could prove to be the smartest move they make. Tactics boards are fine and worthy but so too is the awareness that sometimes players need to let off a little steam. After being a month away from home, they need this. Tomorrow’s game, after all, doesn’t promise to be easy.

Lienert-Brown at AIG's Dublin offices. Harry Murphy / SPORTSFILE Harry Murphy / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE

 “I think every time we meet the Irish, it is always going to be tough, a brutal game,” said Ardie Savea. “The last four test matches that we played, Ireland won two, lost two so it is always a hell of a battle. The games have become even harder and tougher, especially here in Dublin in front of so many Irish fans.

“We are used to the fact that every team that plays against the All Blacks, comes with their A Game. We have massive respect for the Irish team, for Ireland, for the fact they are a quality side with quality players in there and for the fact they have beaten us a few times. That has probably made this fixture even more special because the rivalry is there.”

Lienert-Brown knows all about that rivalry. From a distance he has watched Ireland’s evolution from no-hopers at the turn of the century to a significant force in the two decades since. Of this current crop, he spoke highly of Jack Conan – ‘a beast who gets through a hell of a lot of work’ – but reserved special praise for Johnny Sexton.

“He is the one who runs that team round the park; the ball goes through his hands a lot. He’s key to the game and he’s someone we need to nullify and stop.”

This is Savea again.

“Looking at how the Irish have been playing their last couple of games, they were great against Japan and Japan is a solid team. They’re just playing with huge confidence. And that’s scary but it’s also a great challenge for us to walk towards and face. Who could ask for a better stage than the Aviva Stadium with a sold out crowd? To go out there and play the Irish, it’s going to be good.”

* All Black players Anton Lienert-Brown and Ardie Savea were on hand to support AIG’s #EffortIsEqual campaign.