All Blacks great makes forthright prediction on Ireland v New Zealand Test
All Blacks legend Zinzan Brooke and full-back Will Jordan in action against Ireland at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Although Ireland head into their upcoming clash with New Zealand as the world’s top-ranked nation, All Blacks legend Zinzan Brooke expects his country to beat their hosts.
All eyes will be on the Aviva Stadium on Saturday when the two powerhouses of the global game resume hostilities and although Brooke expects the match to be a tightly contested affair, he believes New Zealand have a slight edge.
Matches between these two nations have been thrilling affairs in recent years and although the All Blacks have won the bulk of the Tests between these sides – since they first faced each other at the old Lansdowne Road Stadium in 1905 – Ireland will head into Saturday’s Test in a confident mood as they are currently sitting pretty at the top of World Rugby’s official rankings list ahead of the world champions South Africa, while New Zealand occupy third position.
Ireland in fine form at the Aviva Stadium
Adding to that, the men from the Emerald Isle have not lost at the Aviva Stadium since 2021 and are eyeing their 20th successive victory at the famous venue.
Ireland claimed their first ever victory over the All Blacks in Chicago in 2016 and since then the sides have each been victorious four times in the eight matches between the nations.
Included in those fixtures are Ireland sealing a historic 2-1 series victory in New Zealand, although the All Blacks clinched Rugby World Cup quarter-final wins over Ireland in Japan in 2019 and France in 2023.
Brooke believes Scott Robertson’s troops will be able to build on their narrow 24-22 victory over England at Twickenham but said they will have to dig deep to beat Ireland.
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“I think they can (beat Ireland) but I can tell you right here and now that the Irish won’t be afraid of the (All) Blacks,” he said on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby ANZ podcast.
“Because of what’s happened to them as a team and that’s galvanised them as another strength and a huge cog in the wheel for them of making sure that the All Blacks.
‘There would have been a good lesson to Ireland’
“Yes, they would watch that (England) game. I thought that there would have been a good lesson to Ireland so they’re gonna go, ‘Right guys we have to play our A game now because this All Black side is you know, they know that they shouldn’t have won the game’. But they did they did and they’ll be better for it.
“No, they’ll respect the All Blacks of how they produced that performance.”
Although he is backing his former side to get the better of their hosts, Brooke is preparing himself for a tough encounter as the sides are evenly matched.
“I’m still gonna sit with the All Blacks, but I still think it’s gonna be a 50/50.
“You know, I’d love us to rub their nose in it. But Ireland are a team, the one thing that they won’t be is they won’t be afraid of the Blacks and that’s gonna be a big indicator of how the All Blacks are gonna perform.”