The All Blacks are all conquering and have been since the dawning of time.
They are just too bloody good at it.
From the minute they step onto the field in that iconic uniform they are captivating. It starts with the world famous Haka, which has the potential in itself to blow teams away. What usually follows, is a hard and fast running game that so very often overwhelms opponents.
Don’t get it twisted, it’s not always beautiful free-flowing rugby that makes the purists purr. They can be dogged, they can be bullies, they can be ugly.
Most of the time they come out on top.
That’s just the way it is.
Ireland teams had tried for over a hundred years to beat the All Blacks. Time and time again, they failed in their last great conquest, until two years ago when Joe Schmidt’s men finally overcame the mighty New Zealand at Soldier Field, the same venue Ireland return to this weekend.
It was only one victory though, it can’t be forgotten that New Zealand travelled to Dublin two weeks later and enacted their revenge on a day that saw them win ugly.
We’re 17 days away from another meeting with New Zealand, only this time the stakes have been raised. Ireland are clipping at their heels and a huge win in Dublin would – for the first time ever – put us on top of Rugby’s World Rankings.
Conor Murray won’t be available for that November date, and he will be a huge loss to Ireland’s cause having beaten the All Blacks for both Ireland and the British and Irish Lions.
Speaking on this week’s bonus episode of Baz and Andrew’s House of Rugby, the scrum half believes the blue print to beating New Zealand is simple, however executing it can be tricky.
“I’ve played them eight or nine times and there were those two or three games – one was the Lions in the summer – where we have won or have had good results, it’s attack them. It’s play rugby.”
It sounds so simple… play rugby! Murray has a point though, many teams tend to be in awe of the All Blacks that much that when the game begins they start automatically on the back foot.
“It’s much easier to have the ball in hand and attack them than it is to sit back and defend.
“Like, they’re incredible athletes, incredible rugby players; the best around. So, if you don’t attack them it will be a really long, hard day for you.
“So, that day we did, even though we got a shock because they scored early, we… it is part of our group that we’ve been together so long that we know what we’re capable of.”
The Munster man is aware that Ireland are now a match for any team, and when they get into the green zone more often than not they come away with points. It’s what has made them such a joy to watch over the past two years.
“We get the ball and we’re able to attack teams and punish teams, and cause teams problems, I think that is part of it as well.”
One thing’s for sure, no matter how great the All Blacks are, this Ireland team certainly don’t fear them.
Murray was speaking at the announcement of Pinergy’s #WeAre16 campaign
