Ireland v New Zealand LIVE rugby: All Blacks visit Dublin with hosts out for World Cup revenge

It’s 13 months since Rieko Ioane gave a beaten Johnny Sexton a send-off at the end of the World Cup quarter-final, the All Blacks centre telling the retiring Ireland fly half to make sure he doesn’t miss his flight among other more choice vocabulary in a short verbal spray. “So much for their humility,” Sexton wrote in his autobiography earlier this year of an exchange caught on camera that seems to have only served to strengthen the rivalry between these two teams.

Sexton has been back in Ireland camp this autumn doing a bit of coaching and mentoring work, though is thought to be steering clear of active involvement this evening. Ioane will, however, be at the centre of things – and can probably expect a bit of barracking from a Dublin crowd who should be well lubricated.

Caelan Doris is determined to harness the painful lessons of Ireland’s World Cup anguish as he prepares to begin his captaincy against New Zealand.

The 26-year-old admits he underperformed last October when Irish dreams of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup were extinguished by a heartbreaking 28-24 quarter-final loss to the All Blacks in Paris.

Doris has been a leading star of the Andy Farrell era and was named skipper for this month’s Autumn Nations Series, having twice previously fulfilled the role on a temporary basis.

The back-row forward describes his leadership style as “actions first” and is intent on delivering a performance in Friday evening’s sold-out Aviva Stadium showdown following last year’s disappointment.

“I’ve obviously reflected on that game and I know it wasn’t near one of my best performances or where I can get to,” he said of the quarter-final.

“It’s all part of the journey and the evolution of a player and of a person.

“I’m sure that game, some of the lessons from it, will lead to further development and growth for me. I’m looking forward to putting that into action.”

A sold-out Aviva Stadium awaits New Zealand as the hosts attempt to right the wrongs of last year’s World Cup quarter-final exit in Paris.

Farrell, who dismissed the notion of revenge being a motivating factor, anticipates an electric atmosphere, with a planned pre-match light show set to fire up supporters.

New Zealand are without fly half Beauden Barrett and hooker Codie Taylor, who both failed head injury assessments during the win over England. Damian McKenzie steps into the starting side after a pivotal cameo off the bench last week, while Taylor’s replacement Asafo Aumua was similarly effective having been forced on inside ten minutes. Ethan de Groot remains absent after failing to meet internal standards.

New Zealand XV: 1 Tamaiti Williams, 2 Asafo Aumua, 3 Tyrel Lomax; 4 Scott Barrett (capt.), 5 Tupou Vaa’i; 6 Wallace Sititi, 7 Sam Cane, 8 Ardie Savea; 9 Cortez Ratima, 10 Damian McKenzie; 11 Caleb Clarke, 12 Jordie Barrett, 13 Rieko Ioane, 14 Mark Tele’a; 15 Will Jordan.

Replacements: 16 George Bell, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Samipeni Finau; 21 Cam Roigard, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Stephen Perofeta.

Ireland have suffered mixed injury news in the front row, where Ronan Kelleher is fit to start at hooker but Leinster colleague Tadhg Furlong is ruled out with a hamstring issue. Finlay Bealham steps in at tighthead while wing Mack Hansen is set for his first appearance in Irish green since last year’s World Cup quarter-final. Jack Crowley gets the nod ahead of Ciaran Frawley at fly half.

Ireland XV: 1 Andrew Porter, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 3 Finlay Bealham; 4 Joe McCarthy, 5 James Ryan; 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Caelan Doris (capt.); 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 10 Jack Crowley; 11 James Lowe, 12 Bundee Aki, 13 Garry Ringrose, 14 Mack Hansen; 15 Hugo Keenan.

Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Tom O’Toole, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Peter O’Mahony; 21 Conor Murray, 22 Ciaran Frawley, 23 Jamie Osborne.

Victory for Ireland over New Zealand on Friday evening won’t wash away the pain of 14 October 2023. Those 37 phases of agony, yet another World Cup quarter-final exit and four years to ponder just how they came out on the wrong side of one of the most thrilling Tests of all time.

A win over England has restored a bit of belief to the New Zealand ranks after a lean Rugby Championship. But the All Blacks’ brand has not felt this weak for some time:

Ireland number eight Caelan Doris is already being touted as Farrell’s captain for next year’s British and Irish Lions tour of Australia. The in-form 26-year-old has a major opportunity to further stake his claim for that role this month after taking the captaincy from Peter O’Mahony. Doris first skippered Ireland against Italy in this year’s Six Nations before leading his country to July’s series-levelling 25-24 win against South Africa in Durban. “He’s thriving in the role now,” Farrell said of Doris’ leadership. “You can see that, he’s certainly walking tall. He’s taken it all in his stride and that puts everyone else at ease.”

Struggles at the scrum were a contributing factor to Ireland’s quest to lift the Webb Ellis Cup falling short just over 12 months ago. They will need to rectify those issues if they are to change the outcome this time around and must do so with a rejigged front row. Injury has deprived the hosts of star tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong, resulting in a start for Finlay Bealham, while they appear rusty at hooker. With first-choice number two Dan Sheehan sidelined, Ronan Kelleher is thrust straight in after recovering from an ankle issue. Replacement hooker Rob Herring has not played this season.

Ireland players on media duty this week have admitted the World Cup exit at the hands of the All Blacks still stings. Yet they – and head coach Farrell – have each stressed revenge is not a consideration going into what promises to be a titanic tussle. Aside from that agonising 28-24 quarter-final defeat in Paris, Ireland have had New Zealand’s number during the Farrell era. A memorable 29-20 Dublin win three autumns ago was followed by a historic 2-1 tour success in 2022. While victory on Friday evening cannot make up for the heartbreak suffered at Stade de France, Ireland will be eager to right some wrongs.