The only way they’ll respect you is if you beat them.
That was the gist from Brian O’Driscoll back in 2012 when he captained Ireland on a punishing three-Test tour of New Zealand. After fobbing off a Kiwi reporter’s question about preferring Boyzone or Westlife, O’Driscoll was asked if that elusive Test win would ever come. He replied:
“We’ve said it for a few years that at some stage in the future, whether it be this year, next year or in 20 years time, some time an Irish team is going to beat the All Blacks before the world implodes.
“We just have to make sure to try and make it now rather than waiting for our kids, or our kids’ kids to see it happen.”
O’Driscoll, thankfully, did not have to wait for his kids, or their kids, to see history made. He was in Chicago on November 5 and he witnessed Ireland beat the All Blacks and beat them well.
I met up with a few friends in Chicago’s Irving Park area a right few hours after that 40-29 victory. The Kiwis in the group were gracious. The Irish wanted to gloat.
The best way to rile the New Zealanders has always been through rugby. There was no better way of getting to them that night than to confess Ireland had been lucky. They hadn’t played that well at all, really, and that Joe Schmidt would want a big improvement for the next game.
On Thursday, at Carton House, Johnny Sexton sang from the same team-sheet:
“Even though we got the win, the review was pretty harsh. We feel we can be better.”
Beautiful Johnny. Beautiful.
It appears to be working. The Kiwis have been thrown off-kilter.
Jerome Kaino says he let down the All Blacks jersey in Chicago, injured players have been rushed back, Steve Hansen insists Ireland are underdogs and the New Zealand media are starting to snipe.
Look no further than the Dominion Post match preview – entitled The All Blacks have tended to make rather short work of Ireland – put together by Hamish Bidwell. It begins:
‘Good luck to the Irish.
‘If you huff and puff long enough, the odds are you’ll blow your opponent’s house down eventually.
‘So, 111 years and a goodly number of thrashings after their first encounter in 1905, Ireland finally did beat New Zealand in a rugby test. Congratulations to them, but that 40-29 victory in Chicago hardly means we have to start viewing this as one of the game’s great and enduring rivalries.’
Just a hint of sour grapes here.
After reminding his readers that Ireland’s record against the All Blacks is 1-1-27, Bidwell casts his mind back to the ‘comical and typical’ 1989 contest when Ireland advanced on the Haka only to lose badly.
There is a look at Ireland’s few close calls but the writer states that the men from the Emerald Isle have often been ‘no more than whipping boys’.
There is a positive end to the piece as Bidwell ruffles Ireland’s hair and looks forward to us putting up more of a fight against the world’s greatest rugby team.
We’ve got their attention, at least.
Aaron Kernan joins Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour to explain the work he’s doing for the Club Players Association. Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue talks Slaughtneil and a Dublin club advertising for hurlers gets a sore touch. Subscribe here on iTunes.
