International Rugby preview: Luck of the Irish is about to run out
Ireland will need more than just luck if they are to end their dismal record against the All Blacks and beat the New Zealander’s for the first time in their history.
The two sides meet in a Test match on Saturday 20 November at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Ireland coach Declan Kidney has made 11 changes to the team that struggled to beat Samoa 20-10 on Saturday 13 November.
However, Kidney has made just one change to the team that started the Test in their opening 23-21 defeat to South Africa on Saturday 6 November, a game in which many felt the score was closer than the
play on the field.
The half-backs who struggled against the Springboks return. Leinster out-half Jonathan Sexton and scrum-half Eoin Reddan return to face the All Blacks, while the in-form Munster pairing of Ronan O’Gara
and Peter Stringer, will feel unlucky they are left out of the Irish starting line-up.
Tom Court continues as prop in the absence of the injured Tony Buckley. Rory Best and Cian Healy return to the first 15 at the expense of John Hayes and Sean Cronin who are named as substitutes.
Munster lock, Mick O’Driscoll returns to partner Donnacha O’Callaghan in the second-row while Stephen Ferris and David Wallace are recalled to the back-row.
British and Irish Lions Rob Kearney and Gordon D’Arcy return to the back-line. D’Arcy will resume his formidable partnership with captain Brian O’Driscoll and the world class Irish pairing will need to
be at their best if they are to take anything out of the game.
Luke Fitzgerald and Tommy Bowe will play on the wing and Keith Earls is the unlucky player who starts on the bench.
Munster forward Donnacha Ryan’s suspension for a stamp in the Samoa game means that Devon Toner is given the opportunity to feature against the All Blacks and he starts on the bench.
New Zealand have retained most of the players that thrashed Scotland 49-3 on Saturday 13 November.
The inform Sonny Bill Williams drops to the bench and a new midfield pairing of Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu will try and limit the creativity of Ireland’s star player O’Driscoll.
Brad Thorn’s hamstring rules the second-row out and the influential lock will be replaced by Anthony Boric.
Captain Richie McCaw and the mercurial Dan Carter will be the danger men that Ireland will attempt to mark.
McCaw and Mils Muliaina will win their 93rd cap and pass All Black legend Sean Fitzpatrick to become the most capped All Black players of all time.
New Zealand have impressed on their Autumn tour and they will be keen to beat Ireland and maintain their unbeaten record.
The All Blacks beat England 26-16 in their opening Test in the Autumn Internationals and Dan Carter has proven why he is regarded as the number one out-half. Ireland’s opposite number, Sexton will have
to attack Carter and defend heroically.
Ireland must improve in the forwards if they are to have any hope of defeating the All Blacks. New Zealand should dominate the line-out, scrum and breakdown depriving Ireland’s talented backs of any ball.
The last time these two teams played it was an embarrassing shellacking of the island nation, with the Kiwis winning 66-28. Ireland have never beaten the All Blacks and their current form suggests that
this run of defeats will continue. The Irish team will need more than luck if they are to take any positives from this match.
Prediction: Ireland 13 New Zealand 32
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