Andy Farrell says Ireland 'lucky ones' as they prepare for New Zealand at Eden Park
Head coach Andy Farrell is targeting glory at Eden Park as Ireland attempt to avenge defeat on their last visit.
Farrell’s men go head to head with the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday having won two of the last five encounters, although none of the most recent three. However, Farrell still has painful memories of his side’s last trip to Eden Park in July 2022, when they lost 42-19, but went on to win the series 2-1.
He told reporters: “I feel we’re the fortunate ones, we’re the lucky ones in the sense that we get the opportunity to go to Eden Park. We had that fortune in ’22, the first game up, and obviously we couldn’t get that over the line, so, we’re pretty lucky to be back there and have another shot at it.”
Farrell has made nine changes to the side which beat Japan 36-20 last weekend, in the process wheeling out his big guns once again. Tadhg Beirne, who captained the side from the second row against the Brave Blossoms, switches to open-side flanker in the wake of skipper Dan Sheehan’s return to the front row alongside Ulster’s Tom O’Toole and Tadhg Furlong. Joe McCarthy will partner James Ryan at lock with Josh van der Flier at open-side and Jack Conan lining up a number eight. Hugo Keenan returns at full-back with Ulster’s Robert Baloucoune and Jimmy O’Brien on the wings and Garry Ringrose and Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey in midfield, while Jamison Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast combine at half-back.
New Zealand will go into the game looking for a fourth successive win and having prospered in their Nations Championship fixtures to date under new head coach Dave Rennie, a 34-32 victory over France and a 47-17 demolition of Italy. Asked about Rennie’s early contribution, Farrell said: “I’ve been super-impressed. I’ve obviously followed Dave’s career, a very impressive one at that, and understand fully how his sides like to play. We’ve seen that with the Chiefs, and certainly saw it in Glasgow, the effect that he had, and obviously being successful in Japan just shows. And I also thought he did a fantastic job in Australia as well. I think the style of rugby suits the DNA of how New Zealand as a rugby playing nation want to play, and he’s brought a bit of steel back to them as well, so it certainly makes them very dangerous.”