“I’m pretty happy”, Hansen said.
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United Kingdom and Ireland: TV: Sky Sports 2 and RTE. The All Blacks lost a wealth of experience following the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but the current incarnation are proving just as daunting an opponent in only their first year together.
That has prompted Hansen to suggest that Ireland hold the upper hand ahead of this weekend’s rematch – an assertion Schmidt rejects.
New Zealand: B Smith (Highlanders), I Dagg (Crusaders), M Fekitoa (Highlanders), A Lienert-Brown (Chiefs), J Savea (Hurricanes), B Barrett (Hurricanes), A Smith (Highlanders), J Moody (Crusaders), D Coles (Hurricanes), O Franks (Crusaders), B Retallick (Chiefs), S Whitelock (Crusaders), L Squire (Highlanders), S Cane (Chiefs), K Read (Crusaders, capt).
The All Blacks saw their record-breaking streak of 18 consecutive wins broken by Ireland in Chicago a fortnight ago with a 40-29 defeat at Soldier Field. “I felt we deserved to get our nose in front when we did and the players managed to protect the lead but at the same time, I don’t think they are going to afford us any headstarts this weekend”.
Hansen, who expressed his disappointment with how the side prepared two weeks ago in Chicago, said each squad member had looked in the mood at training.
Barrett, World Rugby’s Player of the Year, scored a scintillating second try for New Zealand but controversy was raging after the match over whether he had grounded the ball. Two from Jordi Murphy, CJ Stander, Simon Zebo and Robbie Henshaw did the damage as a late New Zealand onslaught was thwarted.
Stringer, who has been capped 98 times for Ireland, was overwhelmed when he watched the Irish side – which included some of his former global teammates – shatter New Zealand’s 18-match winning streak.
And according to former Ireland wing Luke Fitzgerald it was what the All Blacks deserved for selecting a side missing some of their big names. However a determined Ireland tried to strike back and were rewarded when Johnny Sexton slotted over the bar minutes later.
“That’s what you always have to bring yourself back to and the only way to get to those dreams is to make sure that you win as numerous minutes along the way as possible”.
Beauden Barrett is different gravy. Kieran Read (c), 7. Sometimes I was too attacking and we weren’t as smart as we needed to be. I think having time out of the game won’t necessarily solve that. “I think to a large degree we have delivered that, probably more so than any Irish team that I have been involved in”.
“We’ve had three weeks together now so we should be better than we were in Chicago”, Best said.
“How we did so well in the last game was pressure: We built it through getting pressure off their lineout, getting up off their line, making them knock the ball on, and putting that little bit of doubt in their head”.
“They’ll be full of confidence and committed to delivering on their home patch”.
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“One needs to feel that we have a chance on important calls like that”.
