Ireland targeting first All Blacks scalp on home soil

Editor

Ireland will have the incentive of beating the All Blacks for the first time on home soil when the world’s top two sides meet in Dublin on Saturday.

While they achieved their first win in 101 years when beating New Zealand in 2016, it was on neutral ground in Chicago, and that first home win has still eluded them.

Ireland and British & Irish Lions fly-half Jonny Sexton told the42.ie that creating more history was a goal for the side.

“Over the years we’ve ticked off a little bit of history along the way with winning in Argentina, winning in South Africa for the first time, beating New Zealand for the first time, so to beat them in Ireland for the first time would be another little bit of history that this group can create and it’s one you don’t want to let pass you by.

“You can’t lie about it and say it’s just another game,” he said. “We’ve had it on our radar for a while, definitely.”

All the recent games between the sides had been tough encounters. But the All Blacks were still the template for where Ireland were ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.

“We want to make the most of it and see where we are really. It has been two years since we’ve played them last but there has been a lot of changeover from our team,” Sexton added.

Since New Zealand stole an injury time win in 2013 the intensity in contests between the sides had grown even as the playing personnel had changed.

“I think probably eight guys who played that day [in 2013] won’t play this week so its big change from our point of view but we’re looking forward to seeing how far we’ve come in two years and where we are in the world really,” he said.

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Sexton has played the All Blacks 11 times for Ireland and the Lions for eight losses, two wins and a draw so was aware of what was needed to succeed.

“You do get a sort of feel for what you have to do to beat them but then you’ve got to go and do it. That’s the hardest part,” he said.

“So we’ll have a great plan, we’ll have some experiences of what’s worked against them in the past, what hasn’t worked and where they are the most dangerous but then you’ve got to go out and implement it. Hopefully that gets you close at the end and then dog it out.

“We’ll have to be close to it. When you think about the last three times we’ve played them, we’ve had brilliant game plans and the times we’ve executed them really, really well we’ve done well.

“They’re a quality team, they’re going to at some stage have a purple patch, it’s how we adapt and cope with them.”

The pressure to perform at maximum levels, with mistakes reduced to a minimum was constant under coach Joe Schmidt’s gaze.

“That’s drilled into us, it’s international rugby really. It’s heightened with New Zealand. It definitely is,” he continued.

“I’ve never played against a team that would capitalise on a mistake…you look through the Rugby Championship – the amount of times you think Australia and South Africa have them under the pump and next thing they’re underneath their own posts.

“In Pretoria, when they came from behind, they [South Africa] are on New Zealand’s line, they’re 12 points up with 10 minutes to go and you think ‘game over’. They turn it over, go the length of the pitch and score. Then they score again.

“So, yeah, they really expose you when you’re loose with the ball and so everything is a bit more important this week,” he said.

“These are the big game that you do all the work for, you do all the practise for. You don’t get a chance, you know, they been No.1 team in the world for nine years, you’ve got a small chance to change that.

“It’s something not to go in on yourself, but to go and attack, and go and get it rather than hope it happens.”