Ireland rugby aim to progress from a Rugby World Cup quarter-final for the first time ever as they face three-time winners New Zealand rugby.
Ireland have won five of their last eight test matches against the All Blacks. Since the start of 2016, their win percentage against the team has been 63%, and the highest any other team has achieved is 33% in that time.
The two sides have previously met twice at the quarter-finals in 2019 and 1995 with the All Blacks winning both, their most recent with a 46-14 scoreline.
New Zealand have won eight of the nine RWC quarter-finals that they have played in with their loss being to France in 2007. Ireland, on the other hand, have lost all seven quarter-finals that they have been in, and are the side who have been knocked out at the quarter-finals the most.
New Zealand lost a pool-stage match for the first time ever at the start of this tournament, while Ireland are currently on a 17-match unbeaten run. Currently ranked as world number one, Ireland will go in search of their first-ever place in a RWC semi-final, but will face the tough opposition of New Zealand on the way.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match. Get all the Rugby World Cup odds here and the latest tips and free bets on the World Cup here.
When is Ireland vs New Zealand?
The quarter-final is scheduled to kick off at 8pm BST on Saturday 14th October at Stade de Frace in Paris.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on ITV1 with coverage beginning at 7:15pm BST.
Registered users can also stream the match for free online on ITVX.
Team news
Andy Farrell has named an unchanged starting team to play New Zealand from their final pool-stage win against Scotland at Stade de Frace last weekend. Wingers Mack Hansen and James Lowe, who both left the field in the win over Scotland, are named to start following their recovery in the week.
Fullback Hugo Keenan, who scored twice in the victory, remains at fullback. Fellow try scorers Iain Henderson, Dan Sheehan, and Garry Ringrose as start as well as Lowe who scored in the first 63 seconds of the match. If used from the bench, Conor Murray will surpass Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell to become Ireland’s most-capped RWC player with 18 appearances.
11 players from Ireland’s RWC2019 quarter-final loss are named in the team (Tadhg Furlong, James Ryan, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Iain Henderson, Conor Murray, Johnny Sexton, Garry Ringrose, Andrew Porter, Dave Kilcoyne, and Tadhg Beirne).
Johnny Sexton will make his 18th appearance against New Zealand (15th for Ireland, 18th overall including British and Irish Lions), which will see him overtake Wales’ Alun Wyn Jones to become the Northern Hemisphere player who has faced the All Blacks the most.
Two changes to the replacements are made with Joe McCarthy replacing the injured second-row James Ryan and Jimmy O’Brien replacing Stuart McCloskey.
New Zealand, meanwhile, return to their full-strength side following their 73-0 win against Uruguay with Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Beauden Barrett and Scott Barett all returning to the starting XV. There is no place, however, for Mark Telea who misses out entirely following a disciplinary issue. He is replaced by Leceister Fainga’anuku on the left wing.
Lineups:
Ireland XV: Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Johnny Sexton (capt.), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Joe McCarthy, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Jimmy O’Brien
New Zealand XV: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett, Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane (capt.), Ardie Savea
Replacements: Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Samuel Whitelock, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown
Odds
Ireland - 8/11
Draw - 20/1
New Zealand - 6/5
Prediction
A tight game is expected in Paris between two Rugby heavyweights. Ireland’s momentum and discipline may just see them over the line in a tense encounter. Ireland win by 3
