New Zealand have lost twice to Ireland in their last three meetings but All Blacks coach Steve Hansen says all form goes out the window ahead of Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarterfinal in Tokyo.
Ireland have fashioned an impressive record under New Zealander Joe Schmidt in the last six years, with the side claiming their first ever win against the All Blacks in 2016, a victory that ended a 111-year wait.
While New Zealand got a measure of revenge two weeks later, beating the Irish 21-9 on home soil, Schmidt’s side scored another win over the world champions last year in Dublin.
The All Blacks’ recent record against the Irish would have been even worse had they not pulled off "The Great Escape" in 2013 when Ryan Crotty’s try and Aaron Cruden’s conversion salvaged a 24-22 win deep in injury time.
TITANS: Ireland players will look to shake up their rivals New Zealand. Picture: Aaron Favila/AP.
Hansen, who was noticeably less relaxed than he had been during the pool phase in Japan, was putting little stock in recent results having any influence on Saturday’s game, however.
He says: “I think they have brought out the best in us for a long, long time.
“I don’t know how many games we have played but we enjoy playing them and that hasn’t changed because they have beaten us a couple of times.
“A lot of people are going to be talking about the past but it’s what happens on Saturday that counts.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZLvIRE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZLvIRE #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/kfN22vBSxS
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks)
“What happened prior to that is irrelevant.”