Tonight, when the Irish first came up against the All Blacks at Eden Park as part of their Kiwi tour, four Kiwi families might be cheering on the competition.
There are four New Zealanders playing for Ireland in the tests, including Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe and Joey Carbery.
Otahuhu-born Aki's NZ career has seen him play for the Chiefs and Counties Manukau. The 32-year-old is married to Kayla Lelemia and they have three children. He moved to Galway just over seven years ago, when he started his Irish professional career with Connacht. He was called onto the national side in 2017. Last year, Aki made his test debut for the British and Irish Lions in the final test against South Africa.
Arnica and James Lowe. Photo / Instagram
He captained Ireland on Wednesday in the first game of the Irish summer tour of New Zealand, during their loss against the Māori All Blacks at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.
Great Barrier Island-raised Gibson-Park, moved from New Zealand to Dublin with wife Patti Grogan six years ago when he started playing for Leinster. The couple have two young children.
The 32-year-old has played for the Blues, Hurricanes and the Māori All Blacks. In 2019, he became eligible to play for Ireland under the World Rugby's eligibility rules.
Nelson-born Lowe, 29, and new wife Arnica moved to Dublin in 2017 so he could play for Leinster. His Kiwi career included playing for Tasman, the Chiefs and the Māori All Blacks. Lowe became eligible to play for Ireland in 2020 due to the residency rule. In March, the couple were married in Las Vegas, at A Little White Wedding Chapel.
Jamison Gibson Park and Patti Grogan. Photo / Facebook
Dargaville-born Carbery, 26, went to live in Athy, Ireland, with his parents, when he was 10. He has played for Leinster and Munster and made his debut for Ireland in 2016.
His Auckland grandfather Joe Carbery, who moved to NZ from Ireland 50 years ago, told the Herald last year that he watched nervously from afar as his grandson took on the All Blacks in November.
He admitted to having a knot in his stomach when Joey stepped onto the field and faced a penalty.
"I was hoping he'd do well. It's a mental thing, it comes down to pressure. Even professional golfers miss a three-foot putt. I knew he was perfectly capable of nailing the kick but he's coming back from injury, coming off the bench, and 51,000 people were watching. It was a mixture of excitement and also a worry.
"One of my sisters in Ireland sent me a photo of her head buried in her hands when Joey lined up the kick."
After Ireland beat the All Blacks in their third-ever victory over New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin last year, Sir John Kirwan reckoned Aki, Gibson-Park and Lowe were all good enough to have become All Blacks.
