{"id":112632,"date":"2025-11-01T15:46:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T15:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/112632\/"},"modified":"2025-11-01T15:46:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T15:46:22","slug":"big-chance-for-baird-as-ireland-back-row-bids-to-regain-world-class-edge-v-nz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/112632\/","title":{"rendered":"Big chance for Baird as Ireland back row bids to regain world-class edge v NZ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cI retired a year later, basically. I only started one more game for Ireland. At the time, I don\u2019t think I was that aware I was that close to the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew Trimble was looking back on his starring role in Ireland\u2019s 40-29 victory over New Zealand<\/a> in 2016, on the latest episode of his podcast, Potholes & Penguins. Joni Mitchell coined it best \u2013 you don\u2019t know what you\u2019ve got \u2018til it\u2019s gone.<\/p>\n

Trimble would finish out his career, in 2017-18, with Ulster<\/a> but only pulled an Irish jersey on two more times after that Soldier Field triumph in November 2016. \u201cThat was incredible, to be part of that,\u201d Trimble told me, before trying to capture the essence of that winning feeling.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just trying your best,\u201d he began. \u201cWell, it\u2019s never really possible but just trying to savour every single moment. Even walking around the pitch before we got to the dressing room. Just enjoy every second of that; drink it in and be a part of it. Be in the moment. And then, it\u2019s gone. It\u2019s such a shame that you can\u2019t be in that moment forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"JamieThe Chicago victory proved a last major triumph for several stars including Jamie Heaslip, whose Test career ended the following year (Photo Brendan Moran\/Sportsfile via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Trimble was not the only player that featured in that historic win to be on the way out. Within a year of Soldier Field, Jamie Heaslip, Jared Payne, Simon Zebo<\/a> and Donnacha Ryan<\/a> would have lined out for Ireland<\/a> for the final time.<\/p>\n

You never know what is around the corner, particularly in rugby, where taking it around the corner is your pride, and penance.<\/p>\n

Look at the back-row selections for Saturday\u2019s game in Chicago that has been labelled \u2018The Rematch\u2019 and, by one eager America pundit, \u2018The Super Bowl of rugby\u2019.<\/p>\n

It is a minor miracle to have Doris back, and named on the bench, but he has yet to play a minute this season, even if Farrell insists he is in \u201cgreat nick\u201d.<\/p>\n

Scott Robertson is able to call on Simon Parker<\/a>, Ardie Savea<\/a> and Peter Lakai<\/a>, but Wallace Sititi<\/a> must wait in reserve. Ireland are without three heavyweights, from the starting gun, but saw one absence coming a mile off.<\/p>\n

In March of 2024, my article on these pages \u2013 Why Ireland have the best back-row in world rugby<\/a> \u2013 sparked a huge response, and a flood of feedback that has only recently settled to a trickle. Back then, before Ireland went and split a Test series with South Africa, Andy Farrell could call upon Peter O\u2019Mahony, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Mahony has retired to his gardening, in Cork, while Doris had shoulder surgery back in May, ruling him out of a British & Irish Lions<\/a> squad he was tipped to captain. It is a minor miracle to have Doris back, and named on the bench, but he has yet to play a minute this season, even if Farrell insists he is in \u201cgreat nick\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"CaelanCaelan Doris<\/a> will make his comeback against New Zealand after nearly six months out with a shoulder injury (Photo Ramsey Cardy\/Sportsfile via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Then you have Tadhg Beirne. There is a strong chance Beirne could finish 2025 in his third World Rugby Dream Team of the Year selection, and at blindside despite him not playing a minute there for Ireland. Farrell prepped for rugby life after O\u2019Mahony last November, and Beirne started three of the four Autumn Nations games with No.6 on his back. It went merely okay and the Munster<\/a> captain, under interim head coach Simon Easterby<\/a>, reverted to second row for the 2025 Six Nations.<\/p>\n

Beirne had 16 straight starts at tighthead lock, including for the Lions against Argentina, in Dublin. Farrell backed him at blindside for the Test series against Australia, though. Beirne rewarded that show of faith by going the full 80 in all three Tests, pilfering turnovers and scoring a crucial try in the series-clincher at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He was named Player of the Series and headed for home, dripping in gold. He is heavy favourite to make his third world\u2019s best XV, with Springbok legend (and World Rugby awards panellist) Victor Matfield<\/a> saying the 33-year-old is \u201cdefinitely right up there\u201d with Finn Russell<\/a> as front-runners for best player.<\/p>\n

All of that stacked up as a great case for Beirne to start at blindside against New Zealand but Joe McCarthy<\/a> and Cormac Izuchukwu<\/a> were ruled out through injury. Needs must. Beirne, in the second row, should prove equally gnarly.<\/p>\n

\"TadhgBeirne starred in the Lions\u2019 series win at blindside but will revert to lock alongside fellow Lion James Ryan<\/a> (L) on Saturday (Photo Brendan Moran\/Sportsfile via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The man getting his biggest Test chance yet is the same man a large slice of Irish fans still cling to high expectations for. In February 2020, when \u2018lockdowns\u2019 and \u2018social distancing\u2019 existed outside the common vernacular, Ryan Baird<\/a> blazed an astonishing hat-trick in the space of just 60 minutes, against Glasgow<\/a> Warriors. He had made his senior Leinster<\/a> debut at 19 and impressed, at lock and blindside, for Ireland U20s. When rugby whirred back into action, later that year, he helped Leinster to a league title and made his European bow. He made his Ireland debut in the 2021 Six Nations, aged 21, and was in plenty of Lions \u2018bolter\u2019 conversations, only for Warren Gatland to surprise many by selecting Sam Simmonds<\/a> and Jack Conan.<\/p>\n

That was over four years ago and Baird has, as yet, failed to lock down a regular starting role for Ireland. He has added lineout calling to his repertoire and still delivers jaw-dropping moments \u2013 particularly in attack \u2013 but Farrell and the Leinster top dogs would love to see that bite and consistency. This will be his third start in a row at blindside for Ireland, but the All Blacks<\/a> are a neck-crane up the ladder from Georgia<\/a> and Portugal.<\/p>\n

Van der Flier was never going to toss toys from the pram after the gut-punch of missing out on Test selection for the Lions. Slagging Jac Morgan<\/a> about Wales\u2019 Test woes, on the team bus, was as edgy as the Leinster flanker gets.<\/p>\n

In 2016, Jordi Murphy<\/a> found himself in a similar position to Baird. \u00a0Murphy was another Leinster lad, eight years older, that made his Ireland debut at 22 and was an equally hot prospect. He got his chance to shine in the back row, in the summer of 2016, when O\u2019Mahony and Sean O\u2019Brien were sidelined. He fronted up in two epic clashes with South Africa. O\u2019Mahony and O\u2019Brien were back playing for their provinces when Joe Schmidt was picking his squad to face New Zealand in Chicago. He stuck with Murphy, at openside. The Kiwi\u2019s intuition paid off as Murphy had a huge 25 minutes, scoring a try and taking the fight to the world champions, only to badly injure his knee.<\/p>\n

Josh van der Flier replaced Murphy that day, at Soldier Field, and showed many of the qualities \u2013 defensive tempo-setter and voracious work-rate \u2013 that would be the hallmarks of a stellar career. Van der Flier has been Ireland\u2019s first-choice openside for the past four seasons and took his game to lofty heights from 2021 to 2023, picking up awards in Ireland, Europe and World Rugby\u2019s Men\u2019s 15s Player of the Year in 2022.<\/p>\n

\"JoshLeinster flankers Van der Flier and Ryan Baird will aim to reproduce their club partnership with Ireland (Photo Brendan Moran\/Sportsfile via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Van der Flier was never going to toss toys from the pram after the gut-punch of missing out on Test selection for the Lions. Slagging Jac Morgan about Wales\u2019 Test woes, on the team bus, was as edgy as the Leinster flanker gets. Farrell opted for the spark and snarl of Tom Curry<\/a>, against Australia, and got the very best from the Englishman. Second and third blows came when Morgan got the back-up flanker spot for Melbourne and Sydney. From best in the world to the third best openside in the Lions squad. That will have stung more than Van der Flier will ever let on. Saturday is a prime opportunity to lay down an early marker for the 2027 World Cup, back in Oz.<\/p>\n

I hope Conan will forgive the late mention but he knows all about getting in under the wire. A six-Test Lion and a guy that has earned the respect of his peers by stepping up against the top sides and getting about his business with little fuss.<\/p>\n

Fans that are early risers with sports subscriptions will tell you Lakai poses just as much threat as Sititi and even more oomph when he gathers steam.<\/p>\n

Van der Flier\u2019s successor as World Rugby Player of the Year was Ardie Savea<\/a>, who came off the bench for New Zealand in that 11-point loss in the Windy City, nine years ago. He was still a bit loose, back then, and was caught out by Payne then Heaslip, late in the game, in the build-up to Robbie Henshaw\u2019s try. He has improved, year on year, and is a pleasure to watch.<\/p>\n

There is a touch of Dalton Papali\u2019i<\/a> and Liam Squire<\/a> about Simon Parker<\/a> \u2013 high ceiling possibilities but still relatively new to the international game, guilty of letting big matches pass him by and a player Ireland will look to get after in Chicago. Irish supporters \u2013 especially those that catch only social media snatches of Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship \u2013 will be pleased to see Sititi riding the pine. Fans that are early risers with sports subscriptions will tell you Lakai poses just as much threat and even more oomph when he gathers steam.<\/p>\n

In March 2024, Jamie Roberts<\/a> and I were not the only ones crowning Ireland\u2019s back row the best in the business. Now, I am not so sure. South Africa<\/a> probably shade it but Ireland and New Zealand may have something to say about that over the coming weeks, starting in Chicago.<\/p>\n

As for the Super Bowl of rugby, no-one tell the Springboks fans\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cI retired a year later, basically. I only started one more game for Ireland. At the time, I…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":112633,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[42,43,40,38,41,39],"class_list":{"0":"post-112632","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-headlines","9":"tag-news","10":"tag-top-news","11":"tag-top-stories","12":"tag-topnews","13":"tag-topstories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112632"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112632\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/112633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}