Ireland Set for Massive Showdown in Chicago
THE start of next month will see one of the biggest match-ups international rugby can see — and the bookies are unsure which way it will go.
Ireland, currently ranked third in the world, will take on New Zealand at Soldier Field out in Chicago, with the Irish still looking to avenge their defeat in the quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup back in 2023.
True, they had the chance last year in the Autumn internationals in a game that saw their 19-match unbeaten home run come to an end, but this time they are running on the back of six wins out of their last seven, and know that on neutral soil anything could happen.
Paddy Power currently have the Irish at 6/4 to win, slight outsiders, with New Zealand down at 8/13. The draw is priced at 18/1.
Meanwhile, at Novibet the Ireland win is coming in at 13/10, with New Zealand priced at 4/7, a draw priced at 20/1.
Ireland will fancy themselves at those prices as New Zealand may be the favourites but they are also beatable.
Robertson and Farrell Prepare for a High-Stakes Clash
They have lost six of the 23 games that Scott Robertson has taken charge of, and once again fell short in the Rugby Championship in the summer.
Speaking about the game against Ireland, Robertson said: “The rematch against Ireland at Soldier Field will be a huge occasion, and then facing some of the northern hemisphere’s best at their home grounds is a fantastic challenge for us. We are looking forward to this very special tour.”
For the big game, as well as the three after in what is a busy set of Autumn internationals, Irish head coach Andy Farrell has named a strong squad that sees Paddy McCarthy coming in as the only uncapped player as part of it.
Caelan Doris will once again captain Ireland, and Farrell admitted he is excited by what his team can do.
He said: “I’m delighted to announce the squad for the four upcoming matches this November. There’s an exciting look to the panel and there’s an opportunity for the more experienced players and for those who made their debuts on the Summer Tour to Georgia and Portugal.
The Coaching Team are looking forward to seeing all of the players take their opportunity over the coming weeks.
“This November’s Quilter Nations Series promises to be a great challenge. We’re playing four top-quality southern hemisphere teams who are all coming off the back of a busy block of matches of late and they’ll be keen to finish their year strongly.
First up is New Zealand and we’re really excited to get back to Chicago for the Gallagher Cup match. I’ve no doubt the Irish global supporter base will be out once again in force to cheer on the team in a brilliant city at a world-class arena.”
Memories of Soldier Field and Ireland’s Moment of Belief
And Ireland know all about the city, as it was in Chicago that they first beat New Zealand nearly a decade ago now.
Soldier Field was the stage for their first-ever victory over the All Blacks, with Joe Schmidt’s side running out 40–29 winners.
Back then, the 30–29 win was Ireland’s 29th attempt at beating New Zealand and came at an unlikely time, as it was on the back of an 18-match winning run for the Kiwis. This time, there is nothing like that form-wise for the All Blacks.
And Ireland know that they are good — and they can be very good when they want to be — as they showed in the Six Nations this year.
True, they lost to France, but they won their other outings and showed why they are ranked where they are in the world rankings.
They also had 16 fit and available Irishmen who helped Farrell secure a first British & Irish Lions series win in a dozen years during the summer, so they are well-versed in what is needed to get a result against a dominant southern hemisphere side like New Zealand.
They also know that the time is now when it comes to getting a result, as eight of the players named on Wednesday are set to be at least 35 by the next World Cup — so time is ticking for them to put together a run that could propel them to World Cup glory.
The bookies have Ireland as slight outsiders, but they will take that, as the pressure is on New Zealand to live up to the billing. Andy Farrell and his side, though, know they are a tight-knit bunch — and they’ll be hoping to use their Lions success as a springboard into an Autumn series to remember.