These are heady days.
We used to never beat New Zealand. Now we have done it twice in our last three games and have Steve Hansen handing over the ‘best in the world’ mantle.
The All Blacks head coach will fly out of Dublin, to Rome, today aware that the rankings still have his men top of the pile. That won’t change on Monday, but the new week will begin with the realisation that Ireland are serious contenders for their crown.
Joe Schmidt scoffed at the “nebulous” notion of declaring his Ireland side World Cup favourites with 11 months to go to the tournament. Schmidt is all about post-match modesty and pre-match zealousness but even he had to admit, on Saturday evening, that his team are a force to be reckoned with.
The All Blacks were beaten for just the fifth time in their last 46 Test matches and Ireland were good value for their 16-9 victory.
The win represented Ireland’s 11th straight at the Aviva Stadium and, on Monday afternoon, confirmation will arrive that they have their highest ever points total.
91.17 will surpass Ireland’s previous BEST EVER POINTS TOTAL.
Ireland’s surge of form has seen them reach new points highs on four occasions in 2018. They are now just 1.37 points off the All Blacks. Even a 16+ victory would not have been enough to topple Hansen’s men from top of the rankings by the year’s end.
A defeat to Conor O’Shea’s Italy would do that – cleaving three points off the New Zealand total – but that is unlikely. Both the All Blacks and Ireland, who play the USA, should finish their Test calendars with wins.
With the Kiwis not set to play an international again until next summer, that gives Ireland an opportunity to go to World No.1 by taking some scalps in the 2019 Six Nations.
Elsewhere in the top 10, Australia leap-frog Scotland after their win over Italy and the Scots’ late heartbreak against South Africa. The rest of the top 10 remains the same.
