All Blacks coach Scott Robertson (left) brings his side to Chicago to face Andy Farrell's irishmen. Photos / Photosport
Liam Napier in Chicago
Posters hanging on Michigan Ave in the heart of Chicago bill the start of the All Blacks’ Grand Slam tour as the rematch with Ireland.
It’s a natural, easy headline to sell. And with this weekend’s match at Soldier Field again sold out, the tagline clearly captured the intended market.
Nine years on from Ireland’s historic success, though, how relevant is that match this week?
Such an achievement will live long in memories, particularly for those Irish fans who witnessed an occasion 111 years in the making.
A week is a long time in rugby, though. Nine years is a lifetime.
Much has changed since Ireland’s first success against the All Blacks.
The All Blacks are this week expected to field four survivors – Beauden Barrett, the sole starter, Codie Taylor, Ardie Savea and Scott Barrett – from their 2016 defeat.
Ireland could harness five returning veterans – midfielders Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose, the latter unused off the bench, props Tadhg Furlong and Finlay Bealham and influential openside flanker Josh van der Flier.
The respective coaching teams are vastly different, too.
Joe Schmidt inspired Ireland to their breakthrough triumph, but he has long moved on, having since assisted the All Blacks under Ian Foster before traversing to now lead the Wallabies.
This is now the Andy Farrell and Scott Robertson coaching showdown.
In the past nine years, the world endured a global pandemic, New Zealand ushered in four new Prime Ministers, the Springboks claimed successive World Cup crowns and a new generation of Irish and All Blacks players emerged.
One of those is Simon Parker, who will start at blindside flanker this weekend.
The Chiefs loose forward was in his penultimate year at St Peter’s in Cambridge when Ireland first defeated the All Blacks.
“I can’t remember where I was, but I remember watching it,” Parker said as the All Blacks trained at the University of Illinois.
“Ireland came out and were physical and I remember the cameras after the game showing how gutted the All Blacks were. You could see it in their faces so we don’t want a repeat of that.
“It’s an awesome opportunity to have a crack at a Grand Slam. There’s not many teams in history who get that.
“The Grand Slam means nothing if we don’t get this week right so that’s where all our focus has been.
“There’s a huge respect for Ireland. They’ve been a great team for a number of years now. These two teams have been going at it for years and I don’t think that’ll ever change.”
The city and venue are the same but for all the nostalgia, the truth is 2016 holds minimal relevance this week.
The real relevance of Ireland breaking their glass ceiling against the All Blacks in Chicago, though, is that it ignited a rivalry second only to the Springboks.
With five wins each from their past 10 engrossing encounters, All Blacks v Ireland has evolved to an unmissable rugby event no matter where it is staged.
All Blacks assistant coach Tamati Ellison emerged off the bench in one of Ireland’s darkest days, their 60-0 loss in Hamilton in 2012 when Sam Cane scored two tries in his second test. It stands as the biggest defeat in Ireland’s history.
“They’ve definitely grown,” Ellison said. “They were world leading in some of their attacking shape, their short passing; and some of the teams have copied that. We understand where the Irish have been in recent years. They’ve earned a lot of respect.
“The rivalry has been building over the last few years for sure not including some of the Kiwi players on their side but some of the Kiwi coaches who have been involved as well. They play a beautiful brand of rugby.”
Feuds and ferocious battles have come to define these contests.
In recent times, Ireland’s first series win on New Zealand soil in 2022 sparked major consequences, with two All Blacks assistant coaches fired and Foster forced to cling to his head coaching post.
One year later in Paris, the All Blacks broke Irish hearts in one of the greatest World Cup matches the game has seen to consign Ireland to another quarter-final failure.
Last November, the All Blacks notched the most notable away success of the Robertson era by ending Ireland’s 19-match unbeaten run in Dublin with a convincing 23-13 victory, one paved by discipline and defence, that sets the scene for the true rematch.
That match is pertinent as Ireland confront a similar challenge coming in cold to face the All Blacks.
While 15 Irish players joined Farrell on the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in July, Ireland last played together in March as they slumped from first to third in the Six Nations to suggest they aren’t the team they once were.
Ireland’s elongated break, and Farrell’s absence with the Lions, is why he assembled his squad in Chicago almost two weeks out from this match and why the team played an internal match last weekend to try to shake off their seven-month rust.
While the All Blacks arrived last Sunday they should, in theory, hold a significant advantage after running through the fire of their scaring Rugby Championship campaign.
Nine tests and seven wins into their season, the All Blacks should be battle-hardened, on the same strategic page, clear with their selections and largely fluid with their structures.
“It depends how you look at it,” Ellison said. “At training today we had our rhythm and flow being this deep into our season so that’s definitely an advantage but you look at the [Irish] guys who went on the Lions tour and had that time together.
“We’ve had a few tests now so we can really dial in on the fundamental parts of the collision. We’ve got our structures now, we’ve got people in the right places, and continuity of selection so it allows you to grow in other specific areas.”
It’s no coincidence that this time last year the All Blacks produced their best form in Robertson’s rookie test year.
While they remained patchy, the All Blacks finished one point away from an unbeaten northern tour which can largely be attributed to time together.
Red flag concerns remain around the All Blacks coaching team after Jason Holland’s imminent exit sparked serious questions as to the reasoning behind his departure following this tour.
For now, though, to preserve their quest for a Grand Slam, the All Blacks must recapture their confidence and cohesion to banish any lingering Chicago demons.
Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.