2016 BRINGS WITH it the opportunity for Ireland to win a third consecutive Six Nations title and take on the Springboks in a three-Test tour, but there is another major challenge ahead of Joe Schmidt’s men.
This year will see Ireland go up against New Zealand twice, providing them with the latest opportunities to end their losing record against the Kiwis.
28 games played against the All Blacks, zero wins for Ireland.
There was a 10-10 draw in 1973, while the agonising last-gasp defeat to Steve Hansen’s side in Dublin in 2013 remains painfully fresh in the memory.
That near miss proved to be something of a launch pad for Schmidt’s Ireland era, with the Kiwi head coach leading his team to back-to-back Six Nations titles in the following two years.
Richie McCaw was captain that day in the Aviva Stadium and enjoyed 14 wins from 14 against Ireland during his remarkably successful playing days.
The 35-year-old legend hung up his boots after securing his second World Cup trophy late last year, so won’t be around to help the All Blacks defend their winning record against Ireland this year.
Reflecting on Ireland’s near miss in Dublin in 2013 and the 22-19 defeat for Declan Kidney’s side in Christchurch in 2012, McCaw wonders whether Ireland truly believed they could break the run against New Zealand.
“They’re capable of beating the All Blacks. We’ve seen over the last four years there’s twice - once in Ireland, once in Christchurch – where it could easily have gone to the Irish, so they’ve definitely got the ability,” says McCaw.
“I think really believing you can win is a big thing and whether they did or not I’m not sure, but one of the things I’ve always been proud of is that if any team is going to beat us then they’ve really got to play for the whole 80 minutes.
“It can come down to one or two moments, but the one thing with the top half a dozen teams at least in the world is that they’re all capable on their day of winning.”
The IRFU has confirmed that New Zealand will visit the Aviva Stadium again on 19 November of this year, while a fixture against the All Blacks in Chicago a fortnight earlier, on 5 November, is understood to have been agreed.
The US-hosted contest has yet to be officially confirmed, but two meetings with the Kiwis in one calendar year represents a huge opportunity for Schmidt’s men and McCaw believes it could be the year Ireland triumph.
“Of course it could happen,” says McCaw. “If the All Blacks don’t get their preparation right, and don’t perform, the Irish are good enough to win. We’ve seen that over the last couple of years in the Six Nations and they’ve got some quality players, so there’s no reason why not.
I hope that doesn’t happen but if you rolled out there thinking that just because you’ve put on an All Black jersey that you’re going to win, that’s when you come unstuck.”
Hansen’s squad have always had huge confidence in their ability but they haven’t really done complacency in the recent past, meaning Schmidt’s Ireland would have to deliver a complete 80-minute performance to win later this year.
Whatever about their extensive winning record against Ireland, McCaw says there is respect for Irish rugby in New Zealand.
“It’s not just the Irish, it’s any team,” says McCaw. I have a lot of respect for all the guys you come up against.
“To play at the top level in rugby you’ve got to be a good bloke that fits into a team but you’ve got to be a good rugby player. Often I’ve found that all these guys that you play against, no matter where they come from round the world, they all have a similar outlook.
“They all have similar values which I think is unique in world sport, so there’s a lot of respect from that side. To bash the hell out of each other and then sit in the changing room and have a beer with each other, that’s pretty unique as well.
“Talking about the Irish in particular they’re all top men you play against. When you’re out on the field there’s no way you want to give an inch, but the way they approach the game and their attitude as a people too… I enjoy the Irish.
They enjoy a good laugh and they’re able to laugh at themselves, they’re quite similar to Kiwis in that regard. There’s no way you want to lose to them but you enjoy their company afterwards, so there’s definitely a healthy respect.
“We see quite a few Kiwis up there coaching the Irish and I think a bit of that influence has come through too in how they play the game.”
McCaw might not enjoy seeing it, but the hope in Ireland is that the influence of our most famous adopted Kiwi results in the losing streak against the All Blacks finally being broken in 2016.
Richie McCaw is a global ambassador for AIG, Official Insurance Partner to the All Blacks.
Interesting that he thinks Ireland could do it but only if the All Blacks aren’t up to their usual standard but that’s fair enough.
Maybe we could try a trick that another country profited from and slip something into their dinner the night before.
No where’re not good enough to beat the ABs right now. Sure Argentina hammered us and if we are honest about how good this team is, they still would still have beaten us If we had the full complement of players available. It’s still a great period for Irish rugby with some great days ahead potentially. It’s just that the WC leaves a slightly bitter taste and it remains to be seen If we can really become a truly world class side – ie able to mix it with the SH teams in knock out games and break the semis.
Your off base there Robert, we were missing our 4 best players and almost entire leadership group vs Argentina (not counting Bowe and Payne also important injuries).
With a full squad as like most other teams that entered the 1/4s we would have got past the argies and then it’s game on.
The bottom line is we were desperately unlucky with injuries and that determined our progress
Not a hope, we were anilated, we were already from the top of my head about 20 points down before them two came off injured
We had lads blubbing after beating the worst French team in living memory and were blown away by the worst team in the Southern Hemisphere a week later, when NZ ran up a cricket score against the same French team. We might catch the all blacks some Autumn, but we’re streets away from matching them in a World Cup.
If test rugby is any reflection on provincial game then beating the ABs is a tad optimistic.
Richie McCaw, greatest rugby player of all time though He was, was never particularly honest as a player, it stands to reason that He’d be pretty dishonest as a pundit too. He’s either lying or taking the piss out of us.
So Ireland can win if NZ slip up, for example not prepare properly. Ireland are good because whave Kiwi coaches, that explains everything. Thanks Richie. Jusr another smug kiwi now, can’t help himself.
That is not what the article said. McCaw said that Ireland can beat the AB’S but they need to “believe” they can and put on an 80 minute performance. He then went on to say that if the AB’S went out to play with the wrong attitude, thinking they had won already, then they would be likely to fall on their faces and loose. Irish rugby is well respected here in NZ and McCaw is the last person to disrespect any team. One thing the RWC showed combined with 2 6N titles is that Ireland is currently the best NH side. Given the huge loss of talent from the AB’S squad this could well be Ireland’s year.
fair enough!