The All Blacks head coach, Steve Hansen, has wasted little time moving on from England after declaring the Test in Dublin on Saturday will decide the mantle of the world’s best team.
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Fresh from his side’s one-point escape at Twickenham, Hansen had only just arrived in Dublin when he said the Ireland Test, which pits the two top ranked rugby nations against each other, will be treated as a World Cup knockout game.
“It’s one and two so whoever wins it will be the best side in the world regardless of rankings – that’s the mental state that people will take out of it so it’ll be a goody,” Hansen said. “We don’t have to talk about it, there’s enough experience in the group to know they don’t get any bigger. You don’t get to play one and two that often when they’re in separate hemispheres so when they do come about they become pretty big games. There’s a fierce rivalry there.”
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The past three meetings between Ireland and the All Blacks captured the attention of the rugby world. In 2013 the All Blacks pulled off a miraculous comeback by finishing a length-of-the-field try and sideline conversion – on the second attempt – to secure the first unbeaten season of the professional era. Three years later the New Zealand‑born Ireland coach, Joe Schmidt, inspired Ireland to their first win against the All Blacks in Chicago, only for Hansen’s men to return serve in Dublin two weeks later.
Schmidt, expecting another tight, torrid contest, is still recovering from 2013. “The game in 2013: I’m still bleeding from that. It hurts when that happens,” he said.
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“Chicago was a great band aid, but two weeks later we were very, very much in the game, and it was very tough, very, very tough.
“The challenge for our guys is to step up. I’m confident they can. But at the same time I’m well aware of the challenges the All Blacks present.”
The All Blacks will be without Sonny Bill Williams, who suffered a shoulder injury against England, but Hansen stirred the pot somewhat by confidently predicting influential Irish halfback Conor Murray will return from a neck complaint despite last playing in June.
“He’s a real competitor, he’ll want to play and if he’s got a chance I’m picking he’ll play.”