FULLBACK JORDIE BARRETT is confident New Zealand can bounce back to secure series success against Ireland after their second-Test loss led to some serious soul-searching.
The All Blacks blitzed the tourists 42-19 in the Auckland opener a fortnight ago but were powerless to prevent last weekend’s dispiriting 23-12 defeat in Dunedin, which levelled matters at 1-1.
New Zealand have not lost a home series since 1994 and face a battle to maintain that record in Saturday’s crunch clash in Wellington.
“It is our turn to respond now,” said 25-year-old Barrett. “We feel a lot of it is in our control and we can influence this match.
“We’ve got to put the performance on the park and get the job done because it’s not going to be easy.
There’s no hiding. There was a lot of disappointment on Saturday night-Sunday morning, even leaking into Monday, but it’s a fresh week, an exciting opportunity, a series decider against a quality side.
“There’s some positive faces and positive moods in camp at the moment so we’re raring to go.
We don’t have a second chance this week. The boys have had a good look in the mirror and gone away and worked on skills that we need to unfold and put on Ireland this weekend.
New Zealand have made four personnel changes for the deciding Test at Sky Stadium.
Lock Sam Whitelock and tighthead prop Nepo Laulala have been recalled to Ian Foster’s forward pack, with winger Will Jordan and centre David Havili fit to start following recent positive coronavirus tests.
Head coach Foster, whose second-Test game plan was undermined by two yellow cards and the dismissal of replacement prop Angus Ta’avao, said: “These are the series we want to be part of.
“There’s a lot of excitement and a lot of that is the respect Ireland have gained with our public for the way they’ve played.
“It’s a great examination for us, so we’ve got to show we’re smart and learning as well.
“It’s an early litmus test for how we’ve grown over the last few weeks. We’re at a point now where each team has got a big prize at the end of it. That’s why you play this game,”
Ireland is living inside the All Blacks heads and under their skins; if they go out with the right mindset they will win this game!
@Richard James: it’s only a friendly
@jimmy fitz: thanks for pointing that out. Your job is done now for today
@jimmy fitz: you’re only a troll
@jimmy fitz: very astute and intelligent comment
@jimmy fitz: not really if Ireland win they go to world #1 hardly a friendly
@jimmy fitz: there will be nothing friendly about this one
@Aidan Prior:This is an official 3 test series. The matches count with respect to world rugby rankings. Ok, so it’s not in a championship or World Cup but it doesn’t feel like a friendly.
@jimmy fitz: get it right at least man, there was friendlies, the Maori games, these games are ranked in the seedings. Its not your fault rugby is complicated apparently
@Pacman: he’s just looking for bites and he got loads, including me.
@jimmy fitz: It’s a test series.
In most games officiated by Wayne Barnes, there often seems to be a pivotal moment for his contribution. I’m hoping either this is NOT one of those games, or that moment goes in our favour tomorrow. We have the ABs worried if only a little bit. No visiting team has won a series in NZ in the professional era. What an opportunity this is.
@Pat Mangan: spot on. He is very poor at the break down and tries to even out penalties. Look at Rog LAR v lein, rogs LAR should of had a man in the bin the first half
@Danger: Pierre Bourgairt was a monster tho
@Pat Mangan: Wayne Barnes should’ve been a lead guitarist in a classic band, only then would he have got the attention he deserved…. In his head.
@Danger: LAR rode their luck a bit in that match, but hey, that’s part of it right? We shouldn’t have been in that position either we let ourselves down in certain areas. Next Yr, there’s always next Yr. Wasn’t a bad thing to have a new winner in Europe either, you can see how much it meant to the peeps of LaRochelle.
@Danger: but…. I digressed, I agree with your point on Barnes and the breakdown, take a thumbs up
To be expected that the ABSs wanna make us pay for winning on their turf. They will need to be careful of how physical they are as could end up seeing cards again this week. Really finding it difficult to call the result of this 1. But it is sure to be entertaining.
@whoowhat?: exactly, usually they come out and beat the living shit out of a team they lost to previously. The rules have changed and they don’t like it. 20 min Red card? Hasn’t really worked has it?
Whitelock is worth about 7 points alone
Its gonna be an absolute Sh1 t show tomorrow.
NZ will be filthy(er), and Barnes will pander to the home crowd/players.
I really hope ireland do pull it off, but on the flip side, if we do win, we’ll hype ourselves out of the world cup…….again.
Great tour so far, just hope tomorrow is not a serious backlash to last week.
@Eoin Nolan: 17 hours later and am happily eating those words!!!!!
It’s your turn to learn the lawsof the game!
It will be a testament to the ABs if they can win a game within the laws of the Sport (not Spectacle as World Rugby wants). I don’t think that is beyond them but I still think they were poor defensively and are there for the taking.
Maybe don’t waste all that energy in the Haka and actually think about the game ahead of them.
Good Luck both teams!
I’m expecting NZ to throw the kitchen sink at us, if that doesn’t make us lie down, how will their discipline hold up??