Rugby: Ireland determined to play with ambition - Kearney

Fullback Rob Kearney insists Ireland will play with ambition on Saturday night against the All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images.

Potentially freezing weather conditions and an All Blacks team on a roll - Ireland could be forgiven for electing for damage control in Christchurch on Saturday but fullback Rob Kearney insists they will play with ambition.

They began that way at Eden Park last weekend but the result was the same as so many others during the 107 test history between the nations - a comfortable All Blacks victory.

But while the cold and rain forecast for Christchurch this weekend could tighten things, Kearney said Ireland will still attack rather than endlessly kick for field position or to put pressure on the All Blacks' back three.

"We know if you want to beat the All Blacks you have to go out and attack them. You can't go into the game playing defensive rugby because you'll never win," Kearney said.

"It was our intention to go out and attack them [last weekend]. Maybe in the first 20 minutes we didn't do that in the right parts of the field, so hopefully we can get that balance between the two.

"I still think there are times in the game when we can play some ball. We don't want to be playing on our own 22 but there comes a time in the game when we do need to attack. We can't keep playing field position all the way up to the try line."

Kearney said opportunities were there against the All Blacks. Tellingly, he said space was there to attack them, but that was mostly gleaned through the post mortem video analysis.

"At this level you see space and it's gone a split second later. Certainly there is space there and there were times when we could have capitalised on it and scored tries."

Kearney had a tough night last weekend. He was forced to make nine tackles - more than he had made in this year's Six Nations, he reckoned - and he also ran straight into a fired up Julian Savea.

Savea, who scored three tries on his debut, sent Kearney back at a rate of knots and the All Blacks won a penalty from the resulting counter-ruck.

"I got a nice smack," Kearney said. "At ruck time when they sniff blood like that, they dominate really well and it was a cheap three points to give away."

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has made four changes to the team for the second test. Gordon D'Arcy starts at second-five in place of the injured Keith Earls. D'Arcy's selection reunites him with skipper Brian O'Driscoll in the midfield for the 48th time in tests.

Andrew Trimble comes on to the left wing in place of Simon Zebo, who made his test debut in last weekend's 42-10 defeat by the All Blacks at Eden Park.

Kevin McLaughlin replaces Peter O'Mahony at blindside flanker and the experienced Mike Ross returns to tighthead prop in place of Declan Fitzpatrick.

For O'Driscoll it is the first time he has played in the city since his ill-fated Lions tour in 2005 when he was injured in the first minute of the first test.

Asked if he had had a chance to reflect on the visit and his shoulder injury, caused by a controversial cleanout by Keven Mealamu and Tana Umaga, O'Driscoll said drily: "I've had seven years to think about it. Time heals all wounds doesn't it? Even shoulder wounds."

The Ireland team to play the All Blacks at AMI Stadium in Addington on Saturday, kick-off 7.35pm is: Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Brian O'Driscoll (c), Gordon D'Arcy, Andrew Trimble, Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray, Jamie Heaslip, Sean O'Brien, Kevin McLaughlin, Donnacha Ryan, Dan Touhy, Mike Ross, Rory Best, Cian Healy. Reserves: Sean Cronin, Declan Fitzpatrick, Donncha O'Callaghan, Peter O'Mahony, Eoin Reddan, Ronan O'Gara, Simon Zebo.