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How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win
By Finn Morton
It doesn’t get much tougher for the All Blacks than facing the world’s top-ranked side Ireland on their home track at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, but assistant coach Jason Ryan believes a bit of “variation” in attack can go a long way to delivering a positive result.
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With coach Scott Robertson at the helm, the All Blacks have won their last four Test matches on the bounce, which includes two triumphs over the Wallabies. But more recently, New Zealand put 64 points on Eddie Jones’ Japan, and they beat England in a thriller last time out.
Some considered the All Blacks to be the underdogs going into last weekend’s match at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, as England looked to kick-start their international season in style. It was a tense contest, but the boot of Marcus Smith had the hosts in a prime position.
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While the All Blacks clawed their way back to take a two-point lead after a clutch sideline conversion from Damian McKenzie, two missed point-scoring opportunities from George Ford saw England go down swinging 24-22.
On Saturday morning (NZST), the All Blacks will look to back that up by bringing a surprising drought in Dublin to an end. The Irish will likely be considered favourites by most, but coach Ryan has weighed in on what the All Blacks need to do so they can play their game.
“I think it starts from variation in your set piece. If you’re carrying straight away off a scrum or off a lineout, there’s opportunities to get on the ball for the opposition in the first two phases,” Ryan explained on SENZ Breakfast.
“If we have a couple of kicking options… that shapes the defence a little bit differently and if you’ve got a couple of lineout throws over the top to your midfielder, that gets them thinking differently too.
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“It’s about shaping them, not being too predictable in those moments so that they don’t really know when to commit to the breakdown and when not to.”
The rugby history between New Zealand and Ireland is fascinating. For so long, the Irish fell short in fierce battles as the All Blacks reigned supreme time and time again. But that came to a history-making end in Chicago, USA, in 2016.
On November 5, Chicago’s Soldier Field hosted a famous Test from an Irish rugby point of view as the men in green won their first-ever match against New Zealand. The All Blacks have since lost four of eight Tests between the sides, but that includes World Cup matches.
New Zealand beat Ireland in the quarter-final stage of the last two Rugby World Cups, including a 28-24 result at Stade de France last year. But this week’s match is in Dublin, and recent history suggests that that bodes well for the hosts.
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Ireland hasn’t lost to New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium since November 19, 2016. It’s true they’ve only played another two times at the venue in 2018 and then 2021, but it’s still a surprising bit of history the All Blacks will want to change.
“Everyone that’s here is tracking really well so all going well, by the end of the week, we should have a good full contingent,” Ryan said, when asked to provide a squad update after Beauden Barrett and Codie Taylor were made unavailable for the Test.
“Obviously a short turnaround so making sure that the boys are as fresh as we can get them in that recovery time from the Twickenham Test and as sharp as they will need to be so that we can bring an intensity that’s going to be right up there with what we’ve just experienced – probably a little bit more to be fair.”
The ABs have more than enough back line guys so don’t see issue there. Just the balance at center and feel time for Rieko to sit out.Forwards- balance still not right. Front row ok but miss Codie. But still ok. Locks- you now need to start s a tall timber at middle of lineout- Darry is the right guy. Then move Sititi to 8, move Ardie to 7 and then move Vaai to blindside. He can become the closest to PSdT . Then have proper bench as this is not a demotion but key to dominating last 30 minutes- Patrick, Ofa etc are golden here. Get the balance right between starters and finishers
Vaai is finally having his breakout year getting comfortable and showing great form at lock, and there are form players and experience all across the backrow, why on earth would you drop him to 6. Ridiculous
My ‘fantasy’ team V Ireland,
Including options from ABXV if needed, as V Munster better better prep for V Ireland than England.
The most important aspect V Ireland is AB need ALL their loosies AND 'loosie capable locks' on ALL match [except IF(?) any tiring ie the aging & slowing eg Cane]. As follows,
{starting} bench (3rd choice)
1 {De Groot} / Tu’ungafasi (Williams)
2 { anyone that can throw!! }/ Aumua (Brodie McAlister)
Ryan! coach lineouts & Aumua to throw!
3 {Lomax}/ Tosi (Newell )
Tosi immense strength V England
4,5 Locks { P.Tuipulotu, S.Barrett }, Vaa’i, Darry
( Isaia Walker-Leawere)
Vaa’i off V Eng. Assumed due to leg injury(?)
6,7,8 Loose forwards { Sititi, A.Savea, Cane } Vaa’i, S.Barrettm, P.Tuipulotu back up (Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi )
9 {Roigard } Ratima ( TJ )
10 {D.McK} Perofeta ( Plummer)
12 {J.Barrett } ALB ( Q.Tupaea )
13 {Proctor} Ioane ( AJ Lam )
Ioane (off V England ) but Irish experience (NO not with Sexton!)
14 { Tele’a} Reece (bkup W.Jordan )
11 {C.Clarke} Narawa (K.Naholo)
15 {W.Jordan} Love (Stevenson)
But a AB win would surprise me & would be result of the ABs transforming [in 6days?I doubt it] from the sloppy error mush of V England & Ireland being early season rusty.
Why is it that every article about NZ v Ireland only remembers history back to 2016? 1905 was the first match and the score isnt 4 from 8 or 3 from 5 its 31-5. What that means is Ireland needs to win for the next 26 matches to equal NZ. Based on ALL of history that will take roughly 90-100 years.
Many Ireland related articles go back a very short way, ABs/Bok thumped them for years. Ire have only been a force in rugby for a short while. A recency bias in IRE favour it seems.
True enough, but the articles are about the current teams so recent history and players are major factors, historic results are not particularly relevant.
It’s to give a current overview of this time and place, not a historical one.
(It does annoy me a bit when they do it in the NRL talking about the same season so I get what you mean.)
None of the 1905 teams will be playing this weekend.
2016 was also when the narrative changed. (I would argue it changed in 2013).
It was a very gutsy win against England. There has been lots of negative comment about 'lucky escapes' & England losing by 'the width of a goal post'. Yes, this is all true but conversely nothing has been said about the AB's scoring 3 tries to one, & this could easily have been 5 to 1 had it not been for a PT dropped catch or a CC fingertip knock on! An unusually high penalty count also gifted the poms 15 easy points. What if's are meaningless, history only remembers the score board. With just a little more patience, discipline, & accuracy this evolving AB's team will be #1 again!
Any update on Daltz or Blackadder?
Haha yep both still useless.
I bet Blackadder will be back. Razor mentioned it last week, that Blackadder could be up for Irish game. I bet it's all planned. Blackadder might start and sititi will come on against tired legs. Blackadder has an engine for sure
Still injured.
I like Ryans thinking re the variation from set piece. Just need to get better execution of the cross kicks and over the back lineout throws. This is def the way for ABs to play going forward. Keep opposition guessing and play heads up footie. All these turkeys commenting on how the ABs have lost their identity, clearly know nothing about the ABs identity..it has always been about innovation for the last 100+ years.
They don't have any choice against Ireland when the Allblacks pick only two lineout jumpers.
They went short and to the over throw repeatedly against the English and this telegraphing of intent by Jason Ryan to repeat the dose may be a smokescreen.
What I'd do against the Irish is start Cane at seven to rough them up (legally) in a return to 2016 and start three locks with Tupou shifted to six.
Sititi at eight with Savea to lead the bench impact with a 6-2 split that includes Darry and Finau. Ratima and ALB to cover the backs.
Savea to replace Cane after thirty or so minutes with Cane instructed to empty the tank.
No disrespect to Ireland, they're the toughest test, slightly tougher than France with with only six days recovery for the Allblacks and up against the best coaching group in the north.
Well said. ,:)
ABs to win by 3 after disgustingly good Caleb Clarke hattrick.