From the Haka to their outstanding success, the aura surrounding the All Blacks resonates all over the globe, none more so than on our shores.
Until Ireland get over the line and actually beat New Zealand in a competitive test match, the All Blacks will remain a bête noire for those in the green shirt.
New Zealand have triumphed in 26 of their 27 matches against Ireland and on the only occasion in which Ireland came away with something, it ended in a 10 – 10 draw forty years ago.
Yet there is something even more special about the fixture on November 24th as the southern hemisphere side tour the northern half of the globe for the 2013 Autumn Internationals series.
It will be Brian O’Driscoll’s final chance to overcome New Zealand. On a personal level, if it were to happen, it would be achievement that would also bury the ghost of the spear tackle that left him with a dislocated shoulder in a 2005 Lions test against the All Blacks.
But the No 13, who is recovering from a calf injury, will be the first man to admit that this game is more than about one man.
Indeed the upcoming international tests, and especially this game against New Zealand, will be extra special for Ireland’s new Head Coach Joe Schmidt.
A proud New Zealander, Schmidt will hope to earn a famous victory against his home nation. But he will also hope to kickstart the beating heart of his reign in this new era for Irish rugby.
The fact that the ex-Leinster head coach knows his country’s rugby intimately – he coached New Zealand Schools which has produced many future internationals - could well be an advantage, although that insight did not help one of his predecessors, Warren Gatland, who ran the All Blacks close in 2001.
In addition, he told Newstalk’s Off The Ball that he is still getting used to the distinct rhythm of international management compared to a provincial role.
Schmidt has named a 34-man squad, including the uncapped trio of Munster No 8 James Coughlan, Leinster back Dave Kearney and loosehead prop Jack McGrath who scored the only try for Leinster in a Heineken Cup match against Castres recently.
Otherwise there are few surprises in a squad which has been robbed of Stephen Ferris, Richardt Strauss, Tommy O’Donnell, Jordi Murphy, Simon Zebo, Donnacha Ryan, and Iain Henderson through injury.
The All Blacks have their own injury concerns. Their head coach Steve Hansen has picked Dan Carter in his 36-man squad despite the fact that the mercurial fly-half is still out with a shoulder injury sustained in September. However, he is expected to be fit for the Ireland match.
With or without Carter, New Zealand have been in ominous form, winning all six of their games in The Rugby Championship 2013, picking up four bonus points along the way.
Added to their 2011 Rugby World Cup win, they are enjoying a fine few years. But they can be caught off guard when they are below par as England demonstrated in the 2012 Autumn Series.
Ahead of that match, New Zealand had not lost in 20 matches but were blown away 38 – 21 by England whose immense work-rate and harrying off the ball upset the applecart against a team that often has its own way. Indeed stats showed that New Zealand conceded 13 penalties, the same number of turnovers and missed almost 20 per cent of their tackles.
Schmidt and his players know only the same level of commitment will give Ireland a chance of upsetting the All Blacks.
But they will also be wary of putting too much attention on this game too soon, with important tests against Samoa and Australia to come in the fortnight before that.
And if they can survive those tests and emerge from the All Blacks match with an unprecedented win, then the confidence will be over-flowing ahead of the 2014 Six Nations campaign.
©INPHO/Billy Stickland
