Fly-half Johnny Sexton has said that Ireland will take great confidence from beating the All Blacks in Chicago in 2016 and also on the British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand last year.
Ireland recorded their first ever win over New Zealand with a 40-29 win over Steve Hansen’s side in Chicago two years ago while five players – Sexton, Conor Murray, Sean O’Brien, Tadhg Furlong and Jack McGrath – all featured for the Lions in their second Test win over the All Blacks last summer.
New Zealand have won 18 of their last 20 games since that defeat in Wellington but Sexton said that the squad will take great confidence from those games for what should be the hardest match of his season next month at the Aviva Stadium.
“Yeah, I think a lot of us and anyone who didn’t have it themselves would have watched those that were involved in the squad directly and that would have been involved in the preparation that did beat them,” said Sexton at the launch for MACE’s new advertising and social media campaign, which will run nationwide, focusing on the fresh departments in store – deli, bakery and fresh foods.
“So we’ll take big confidence from that, I think there is an expectation there that you do get the right result against them but we know how hard it is against the All Blacks in terms of, for me anyway, anytime I’ve ever played them it’s been the hardest game of the season; physically, mentally they test you all the time.
“It’s 80 minutes you got to keep your concentration. It will be no different this time, it will be a massive challenge for us.”
After two narrow defeats to New Zealand in both 2013 and 2016, Sexton knows the challenge that the defending world champions pose and added that Ireland have to play close to perfect just to have a chance against them.
“I think a lot the stuff is still the same but they always add little intricacies, they always have a certain move you see against certain teams,” he added.
“They score off first or second phase, their phase play and their shape is probably very similar to how it has been for years but you still have to have a good plan in place to try and get the better of them. It’s a big challenge, you’ve got to come up with a really good plan that everyone buys into and you have to then go in and perform for 80 minutes close to perfect and that will give you a chance against them.”
Ryan Crotty denied Ireland a maiden win in 2013 when he crossed the line for what was ultimately a match winning try while a Malakai Fekitoa double scuppered the hosts chances in 2016.
Ireland also have a chance to seize the number one world ranking off New Zealand next month should a few results fall their way but Sexton says he is not interested in being world number one but rather being in the first Irish team to win over New Zealand at home.
“Look, as players, we don’t worry too much about the rankings unless it’s coming up to that World Cup draw where you need to be in the top eight. I think the bigger motivating factor for us is to be in that first team to beat the All Blacks in Ireland.
“I was on the first Ireland team to beat the All Blacks in Chicago but to do it here in front of 50,000 people would make the atmosphere very special. I’m sure it would be a very special day in our careers.”
