It was July 1994 when Patrice Lagisquet completed an outrageous French try from inside their own 22 at Eden Park \u2013 so good it earned the sobriquet \u201cThe try from the end of the earth\u201d. That put the seal on a historic 2-0 series win. <\/p>\n
That was then, this is now. The All Blacks have won 50 and drawn two of their subsequent 52 Tests in their Auckland citadel.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a faintly ridiculous record. For the All Blacks, it is inspiring and adds pressure. For visiting sides, it is both intimidating and a huge one-off prize, perhaps the biggest outside of World Cups.<\/p>\n
Andy Farrell<\/a> admitted that winning would be \u201cright up there\u201d with any other in his coaching career. \u201cIt has to be. Their record speaks for itself. It has to be as difficult a job as anything else in world rugby at this moment in time.\u201d<\/p>\n Typically, Farrell wants his side to embrace it. <\/p>\n \u201cWhere else would you rather be? Not making the most out of the fortunate position that we\u2019re in would be a shame, wouldn\u2019t it? We always reference \u2018how do you want to wake up on Monday morning?\u2019. Have no regrets, all of that.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, making sure that people are able to be themselves and perform on a big stage like that, that\u2019s what it\u2019s all about. Don\u2019t waste the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n This game will likely be in keeping with the high-tempo, high-scoring fare of the opening two rounds of the Nations Championship. Yet despite the mild weather continuing into the weekend, it will not be a dry ball. That expectation is based on past visits, as well as the Irish coaching staff attending the Warriors rugby league training session on Wednesday evening. <\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter whether it\u2019s raining or not, it gets very dewy, especially here on the ground. We were out at the Warriors, watching them train. That was a six o\u2019clock session and the pitch was already saturated. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s why they train in those conditions, because training in the sunshine is not reality if you\u2019re playing a night match. The ball will be wet. But we know that and certainly so do they. I think you\u2019ve got two positive teams who want to play a nice brand of rugby anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n Dave Rennie is only into his third game as New Zealand head coach but has already imposed his emphasis on work-rate. His BIGGA mantra (back in the game and go again) highlights the need for every player to bounce to their feet within three seconds. <\/p>\n He\u2019s been able to tap into the Hurricanes\u2019 Super Rugby-winning momentum, not least with a 9-10-12 axis of Cam Roigard, Ruben Love and Jordie Barrett, whose inside knowledge of the Leinster<\/a> backs can only benefit his team.<\/p>\n The catching and kicking of the Hurricanes\u2019 outside back Josh Moorby, who made his Test debut off the bench in last week\u2019s 47-17 win over Italy, has been accommodated. Quinn Tupaea returns at outside centre, as do the locks Josh Lord and Patrick Tuipulotu, with Tupou Vaa\u2019i, \u2013 a la Tadhg Beirne \u2013 shifting to blindside. <\/p>\n \u201cOh, we know where they\u2019re coming,\u201d said Rennie of Ireland. \u201cThey\u2019ve got a really good kicking game and they\u2019ll apply pressure through that. There\u2019s a lot of detail within their attack and they\u2019ve got a real good short passing game and they\u2019re prepared to go multi-phase. <\/p>\n \u201cOur job\u2019s to get them out of their comfort zone, ensure through how we defend that they\u2019re below their best and try and profit off that. We\u2019re going to have to bar up big time at set-piece and we\u2019re pretty confident with the group we\u2019ve got that we can apply pressure there.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a case of us being really clinical. Our mindset\u2019s been excellent. We\u2019ve got to be prepared to play through them and squeeze them up a bit and pick them off, as opposed to try and go wide at every opportunity. They\u2019re a really good side and we\u2019re aware of that. We genuinely respect their ability and that excites me because I know the boys are going to bar up.\u201d <\/p>\n The Irish defence and scrum are concerns, for although Tom O\u2019Toole did well at loosehead in the last two rounds of the Six Nations, he has conceded five penalties in the last two games. <\/p>\n![\"Ireland](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HXT3MLTREI7HANHX34SQ2OAE6Y.jpg\")
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell at his squad announcement for Saturday’s Nations Championship match against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. Photograph: Ben Brady\/Inpho <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767177708414-69197743-5ee2-4403-b94c-9a36cd6b79cd.jpeg\"\/)
Irish rugby’s state of the union down under<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PAU3RNCIR6JOTK7POPNMFSUBV4.jpg\")
New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie says he expects a stiff challenge from Ireland. Photograph: Ben Brady\/Inpho <\/p>\n
![\"Get](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784254096_165_5MKZRKY55RGBRIP67TH2Z2C6HY.jpg\")
Get the best of our writing in the Irish Times rugby community (\u00a9INPHO\/Henry Simpson\/\u00a9INPHO\/Henry Simpson) <\/p>\n