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'Easy fuel': All Blacks captain Scott Barrett puts a target on Ireland

Scott Barrett of New Zealand is tackled by Peter O'Mahony of Ireland during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Quarter Final match between New Zealand and Ireland at the Tokyo Stadium on October 19, 2019 in Chofu, Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

All Blacks captain Scott Barrett has put on a target on Ireland’s number one world ranking ahead of Friday night’s blockbuster clash in Dublin.

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The recent history between the two sides has ballooned the contest into the game’s premier rivalry with Ireland winning five of the last nine matches in emotional circumstances.

Look no further than last year’s World Cup quarter-final where the All Blacks and Rieko Ioane gave Johnny Sexton’s Ireland side a send off.

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“It was one of the great matches at the World Cup last year, for us we know what Ireland are going to turn up with,” Barrett told media on Thursday.

“That’s a willingness to play and they’ll be looking to put us under pressure and vice versa.

“We certainly know it’s going to be an 80-minute effort, we’ve seen some great matches in the past, often going past the 80 minutes. We’ve certainly touched on how big the occasion is.”

Barrett was on the pitch in Chicago when Ireland made history eight years ago, which he credits as the beginning of Ireland’s rise to the top of the global game.

Although Ireland’s 17-Test winning streak came to an end at the hands of the All Blacks, Andy Farrell’s side have since re-claimed the number one ranking after a drawn series with South Africa in the summer.

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Both Scott Robertson and captain Barrett have made it clear that Ireland’s number one ranking is in the All Blacks’ sights.

“Ireland have been right up there, not just the last few years, I think for the last 10 years they’ve been leading the way in a lot of areas,” he said.

“Us as All Blacks, we like to be in the picture in terms of the world number one. That’s a crown they’ve got at the moment and we want to play them at home.

“What more could you want then playing Ireland at home.”

Johnny Sexton airing his dirty laundry between himself and star centre Rieko Ioane in his new autobiography has sparked a furore of excitement with fans and media ahead of the latest showdown.

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On whether their is bad blood between the two sides after the Ioane spat, Barrett said emotions boil over so restraint is needed.

However, he said the pain of the 2022 home series defeat was “easy fuel” for the All Blacks last year, harnessing the emotion for good.

“I guess there’s a lot of feeling and two teams that want to get a result so, at times emotions can boil over and you’ve just got to be accurate with your game, and not after the whistle,” he said.

“There’s always a lot at stake and even more so against Ireland who potentially have had some success over us in past years.

“Last year’s game at the World Cup, there was a lot of guys hurt by the series loss in 2022 back home, that was easy fuel and you are at a World Cup where everything is heightened.

“We love playing the big games, the All Blacks, it’s high pressure and what Test rugby is all about.”

Watch the exclusive reveal-all episode of Walk the Talk with Ardie Savea as he chats to Jim Hamilton about the RWC 2023 experience, life in Japan, playing for the All Blacks and what the future holds. Watch now for free on RugbyPass TV

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J
JW 37 minutes ago
How can Scott Robertson revive the All Blacks’ playmaking ‘triple threat’?

Love how you stoke up the fire with these slow burners Nick, great time to let the air into this one too coming into Jordies new home for a few months.


Razor (and possibly Cullen?) is the perfect coach to keep fueling Jordies own flame. Foster on the other hand has to be a people person because he's always trying to douse everyones due to his own lack of enterprise.


I didn't want to nark on the man but we still have Reiks waiting to be ignited as well. His own play when he first moved to center was full of threat and tact. He could cut in just as easily as swing out and had some great ball handling to put people away with. While we haven't seen much more of that since, I think he has at least been working hard on his defence and his books under Foster and Schmidt, and could turn into a Conrad (or even Nonu) one day. I'm not quite so sure Jordie has been making the same progress in the meantime.


I've been really happy with Jordies workons this year however, but that Final was a big learning curve and I've not really sure I've seen the calmness required to pull off Nonu type plays through his career so far. In fact he has often been the opposite and been a bit ropey when he was in more of a playmaker role at 15, I do think he has all the skills and desire to make these sorts of plays though, just having such a wide scope as a 'triple' threat put's a big demand on being able to read the game. So perhaps I might not go too much further than trying to use that big boot, and keeping it simple really. Like Nonu did.


I'm happy with all those 10 and 15 pictures myself, especially the ones where Jordan is playing more of a hand. He is someone who certainly could do with some sort of 'double' threat to help his line breaking ability and I certainly think he has some sort of innate skill to do the right thing. Sadly it's not going to happen in conjunction with Beaudie I don't think. This is going to be retirement. 2nd start back playing with his old courage (he actually did run the ball after all) and he's concussed again, not good.


Trouble is for this team, it could be a completely different 10, 12, 13. That shouldn't stop Razor from encouraging all the options the All Blacks have in those positions, right now. Also looking forward to Perofeta coming into fullback late instead of BB or Dmac going there.

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LONG READ Mutual regard makes way for enmity as the flames of a very modern rivalry are fanned Mutual regard makes way for enmity as the flames of a very modern rivalry are fanned
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