The Fort Worth Press - Irish face All Blacks in rematch of World Cup thriller

USD -
AED 3.673001
AFN 68.129336
ALL 91.668649
AMD 386.64471
ANG 1.800607
AOA 912.552774
ARS 992.7315
AUD 1.512974
AWG 1.8
AZN 1.68728
BAM 1.824806
BBD 2.01727
BDT 119.396719
BGN 1.82332
BHD 0.376803
BIF 2948.380024
BMD 1
BND 1.334422
BOB 6.903437
BRL 5.679802
BSD 0.999072
BTN 84.541209
BWP 13.465136
BYN 3.269625
BYR 19600
BZD 2.013911
CAD 1.390085
CDF 2868.000117
CHF 0.875795
CLF 0.034916
CLP 963.440261
CNY 7.178297
CNH 7.119295
COP 4413
CRC 512.215261
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 102.879775
CZK 23.617036
DJF 177.916486
DKK 6.949103
DOP 60.187626
DZD 133.748957
EGP 49.234599
ERN 15
ETB 119.896903
EUR 0.93175
FJD 2.24975
FKP 0.765169
GBP 0.77461
GEL 2.725027
GGP 0.765169
GHS 16.315772
GIP 0.765169
GMD 71.496316
GNF 8616.466922
GTQ 7.710502
GYD 209.034461
HKD 7.77415
HNL 25.201413
HRK 6.88903
HTG 131.453603
HUF 381.813994
IDR 15763
ILS 3.738025
IMP 0.765169
INR 84.2419
IQD 1308.807957
IRR 42104.999919
ISK 138.179756
JEP 0.765169
JMD 158.265729
JOD 0.709198
JPY 154.460342
KES 128.890324
KGS 86.197176
KHR 4060.515868
KMF 458.624958
KPW 899.999774
KRW 1397.20406
KWD 0.30685
KYD 0.832606
KZT 492.558899
LAK 21815.535475
LBP 89469.1665
LKR 292.534556
LRD 191.335016
LSL 17.764985
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.841411
MAD 9.873156
MDL 17.869089
MGA 4647.300582
MKD 57.483544
MMK 3247.960992
MNT 3398.000028
MOP 8.000448
MRU 39.504756
MUR 46.519746
MVR 15.401691
MWK 1732.404682
MXN 20.156615
MYR 4.414501
MZN 63.904979
NAD 17.764985
NGN 1676.180349
NIO 36.770777
NOK 11.053025
NPR 135.262149
NZD 1.674695
OMR 0.385019
PAB 0.999081
PEN 3.769622
PGK 4.0092
PHP 58.762502
PKR 277.60178
PLN 4.055634
PYG 7767.343568
QAR 3.642895
RON 4.635695
RSD 109.030958
RUB 97.227779
RWF 1356.776652
SAR 3.756718
SBD 8.333912
SCR 13.608046
SDG 601.49797
SEK 10.84114
SGD 1.3314
SHP 0.765169
SLE 22.701804
SLL 20969.496802
SOS 570.999389
SRD 34.833986
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.74218
SYP 2512.530268
SZL 17.755261
THB 34.353499
TJS 10.640567
TMT 3.51
TND 3.130665
TOP 2.342095
TRY 34.1942
TTD 6.774553
TWD 32.270052
TZS 2725.000015
UAH 41.421807
UGX 3677.043437
UYU 41.575503
UZS 12778.682292
VEF 3622552.534434
VES 43.727292
VND 25400
VUV 118.722039
WST 2.801184
XAF 612.011513
XAG 0.029645
XAU 0.000367
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.74855
XOF 612.017223
XPF 111.272317
YER 249.824961
ZAR 17.62485
ZMK 9001.205905
ZMW 27.076073
ZWL 321.999592
  • RBGPF

    63.1700

    63.17

    +100%

  • CMSC

    -0.1700

    24.51

    -0.69%

  • RELX

    -0.2000

    47.71

    -0.42%

  • BCC

    3.2700

    141.76

    +2.31%

  • RIO

    -0.1700

    65.33

    -0.26%

  • CMSD

    -0.1900

    24.85

    -0.76%

  • NGG

    -1.3500

    64.12

    -2.11%

  • SCS

    0.7400

    13.06

    +5.67%

  • GSK

    -1.1200

    35.9

    -3.12%

  • JRI

    -0.0200

    13.25

    -0.15%

  • BCE

    -0.1000

    28.74

    -0.35%

  • AZN

    -2.4200

    63.85

    -3.79%

  • BTI

    0.1800

    35.64

    +0.51%

  • RYCEF

    0.0800

    7.38

    +1.08%

  • VOD

    -0.1000

    9.31

    -1.07%

  • BP

    0.2000

    30.16

    +0.66%

Irish face All Blacks in rematch of World Cup thriller
Irish face All Blacks in rematch of World Cup thriller / Photo: © AFP

Irish face All Blacks in rematch of World Cup thriller

Ireland meet New Zealand on Friday at Lansdowne Road in a rematch of last year's epic Rugby World Cup quarter-final which dashed Irish dreams of lifting the trophy.

Text size:

The world number one side have bounced back from the devastating 28-24 defeat by retaining their Six Nations title and tying a two-Test series in South Africa.

The All Blacks finished second in the Rugby Championship, but come in to the game on the back of a victory over England last Saturday.

AFP Sport picks out three key things for the match:

Revenge? Forget it, says Farrell

They say revenge is a dish best served cold but whilst it might ring true for the Irish supporters and some of the players it is anything but for head coach Andy Farrell.

The 49-year-old Englishman swatted away suggestions a red mist would descend over his players eyes as they sought revenge.

The Irish matchday 23 will have 17 players from that quarter-final but the All Blacks just 10.

"It's different," said Farrell.

"Different coaching staff, a few different players, a long time ago, a new start for them.

"That's so much in the distant past for us now."

The fear factor has certainly evaporated for the Irish.

Having waited 111 years to record their first win over the All Blacks in Soldierfield in 2016 they lead them 5-4 in head to heads.

"Yeah it is a real rivalry now," said Farrell.

"Hopefully the way that we've performed or improved since Soldier Field, the respect is a little bit higher from their side for us now."

All Blacks test for Doris's captaincy

Caelan Doris has been outstanding since Farrell picked him early on in his tenure as coach and at 26 his reward is to be given the captaincy.

The No8 -- considerably younger than the previous three captains Rory Best, Johnny Sexton and Peter O'Mahony -- has already skippered Ireland once.

However, with all due respect to Italy, leading your team against the All Blacks is a completely different challenge.

Farrell said his lack of ego was a factor in promoting him and he has no doubts Doris can handle the pressure.

“He is unbelievably diligent in getting his own stuff right," said Farrell.

"He's come on leaps and bounds in the last four years in regards to that, he's worked it out.

"He's very comfortable in his own skin."

Aside from O'Mahony, who is on the bench, Doris has also had a word with Sexton.

"He's like a sponge," Farrell said of Doris.

"He's not panicking. He's taken it all in his stride and that puts everyone else at ease.

"He's comfortable allowing others to lead at the same time.

"On top of that, he's not in bad form is he?"

Fly-halves under pressure

Teams look to fly-halves to pull the strings, to be the puppet masters but both No 10s go into the match with question marks hanging over them.

Farrell has retained faith in Jack Crowley, who has been the first choice since Sexton hung up his boots after the quarter-final defeat to the All Blacks.

However, his form like that of his province Munster has been patchy this term.

"There’s a bit of credit there, isn't there, with Jack," said Farrell.

"Like a few players, not just at Munster but at other provinces where I'm sure form is something they'd like to be pushing a bit further."

Former Ireland fullback Hugo MacNeill says Crowley has performed well but has yet to convince he can assume Sexton's mantle permanently.

"The most useful service these November Tests can provide is to have an undisputed first choice fly-half at the end of it," he told AFP.

The All Blacks have reverted to Damian McKenzie, who had been dropped to the replacements bench.

He returns as Beauden Barrett is undergoing a mandatory 12-day standdown period after failing a head injury assessment following the 24-22 win over England last Saturday.

McKenzie is a more flamboyant playmaker compared to the seasoned Barrett but that comes with risks attached.

“Ah, D-Mac is D-Mac, isn't he?" said head coach Scott Robertson.

"You get a bit of everything from him, but when he's on form, he's world-class."

P.Navarro--TFWP