Don’t listen to Andy Farrell. Ireland WILL want All Blacks revenge
For 108 years there was only one winner when New Zealand and Ireland met on a rugby field. But a run of 28 consecutive defeats for Ireland came to an end in Chicago of all places, where they toppled the All Blacks for the first time ever.
It would be just two years until their next victory over the once-invincible outfit; in fact, since their first win, the two teams have played another eight times with the score at 4-4.
The shift in results, and towards Ireland’s wins, speaks to the work the likes of Joe Schmidt and Andy Farrell have done with the national team. And it also points towards an era of rugby where New Zealand aren’t so feared.
Tonight, though, they’ll meet again in one of the most hotly anticipated fixtures of the Autumn Nations Series. And Ireland will be out for revenge after their opponents dumped them out of the Rugby World Cup last year in France, continuing a well-recorded run of losses for the men in green in World Cup knockout matches.
Ireland revenge
Or will they? Because head coach Farrell insists revenge is in fact best served not at all.
“No, it’s not,” he said on the subject. “That’s the truth, do you need that when you’re playing against one of the best teams in the world?
“I mean, everyone knows that’s the truth.”
Is it? Really?
Last year was devastating for the four provinces, they were so confident of getting over their knockout hoodoo, only to be beaten by the eventual finalists.
This has become one of the great international rivalries, now that Ireland have some wins on the board, and a Friday night in Dublin is almost unbeatable.
But let’s not get caught up in the words. Ireland will be out for revenge against the All Blacks, and if they deliver a victory for the nation it’ll be vengeance served.