Next stop, Windy City.
Ahead of Ireland’s flight to Chicago, on Monday Joe Schmidt cut his squad from 34 to 27. Ireland face the all-conquering All Blacks in Soldier Field on Saturday (9pm GMT), hoping to halt the world champions’ 18-game unbeaten run.
Unfortunately loose forwards Sean O’Brien and Peter O’Mahony have not been deemed far enough along on their returns to fitness to travel to the United States, while the influential Ulster pairing of Iain Henderson and Paddy Jackson have also stayed behind.
Henderson was not expected to play any part due to injury, but Jackson’s absence for ‘personal reasons’ is a blow. James Tracy and Keith Earls are not travelling either.
Jackson’s absence means that Leinster young gun Joey Carbery will be Sexton’s back-up fly-half on the bench against the World Champions.
Ireland were devastatingly close to recording a first ever victory over the New Zealanders the last time they met, in 2013, when Johnny Sexton’s late penalty miss proved crucial – as the Kiwis miraculously worked the ball up the field for Ryan Crotty to get over for a late equalising try in the corner. At the second attempt, Aaron Cruden added the game-winning conversion.
Ireland will hope to avenge that 24-22 defeat, but face an uphill battle against an All Blacks side that are unbeaten since losing the 2015 Bledisloe Cup to Australia.
27-man squad travelling to Chicago
Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) captain
Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Sean Cronin (St Marys/Leinster)
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht)
Tadgh Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
Craig Gilroy (Bangor/Ulster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) vice captain
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)
Billy Holland (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Kieran Marmion (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Jack McGrath (St Mary’s College/Leinster)
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)*
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)*
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
Jonathan Sexton (St Marys/Leinster)
CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)
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