On the first Saturday of July 2022, Ireland travels to Eden Park in Auckland to face the All-Blacks in a fixture that carries the weight of history — no Irish side has ever won on New Zealand soil. Coach Andy Farrell has cast this tour not merely as a series of rugby matches, but as a crucible for World Cup ambition, a deliberate immersion in adversity designed to reveal what this group of players is truly made of. The odds, unusually, call it even — and in that rarity lies the quiet suggestion that something unprecedented may be possible.
Ireland face historic All-Blacks test in Auckland as World Cup preparations begin
Never beaten them on New Zealand soil before
Mark
Why does this particular match matter so much more than a regular test?
Mimi
Because Ireland has never won on New Zealand soil against the All-Blacks. It's not just about the three points—it's about proving something that hasn't been proven before.
Mark
And this is part of a larger tour, right? Not a one-off?
Mimi
Exactly. Farrell is using five matches across three weeks as a crucible. He wants to see how the squad handles adversity, fatigue, and the weight of playing away from home. It's World Cup preparation disguised as a tour.
Mark
The betting odds show it's evenly matched. Does that surprise you?
Mimi
Not really. Ireland has improved significantly since the last time they toured here in 2012. But the All-Blacks at home remain formidable. An even match reflects genuine uncertainty—which is rare in rugby.
Mark
What about the injuries? Cian Healy looked badly hurt in the warm-up match.
Mimi
He did, but Farrell kept him on the bench anyway. That tells you something about the depth of the squad and the confidence in the preparation. They're not panicking.
Mark
If Ireland wins, what does that mean for the World Cup?
Mimi
It means they've proven they can beat the best in the world's backyard. That kind of belief carries forward. It becomes a reference point—we've done this before, we can do it again.
Mark
And if they lose?
Mimi
Then they have four more matches to learn from it. The tour isn't over. But a loss would sting because the opportunity is right there.
Der Puls
- Ireland arrives in New Zealand without a single win on Kiwi soil in their entire history, making Saturday's test at Eden Park a genuine frontier moment.
- A 32-17 defeat to the Maori All-Blacks earlier in the week has added pressure, raising questions about readiness ahead of the main event.
- Andy Farrell has reshuffled his squad significantly, restoring captain Johnny Sexton and the recovered Andrew Porter to signal that Ireland means business.
- Concern lingers over loosehead prop Cian Healy, who suffered what appeared to be a serious leg injury in the warm-up fixture but remains in the squad.
- Betting markets have priced both teams at 10/11 — a striking rarity that frames this as a contest between equals rather than a foregone conclusion.
- A victory would rewrite Irish rugby history and set the tone for a World Cup preparation tour that Farrell has described as five consecutive tests of character far from home.
On the first Saturday of July 2022, Ireland travels to Eden Park in Auckland to face the All-Blacks in a fixture that carries the weight of history — no Irish side has ever won on New Zealand soil. Coach Andy Farrell has cast this tour not merely as a series of rugby matches, but as a crucible for World Cup ambition, a deliberate immersion in adversity designed to reveal what this group of players is truly made of. The odds, unusually, call it even — and in that rarity lies the quiet suggestion that something unprecedented may be possible.
Ireland travels to Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, July 2, to face the All-Blacks in a fixture freighted with historical significance. Kick-off is at 8:05am Irish time, broadcast on Sky Sports Action. A win would be unprecedented — Ireland have never beaten New Zealand on New Zealand soil — and that fact alone elevates this match beyond ordinary test rugby.
This is Ireland's first visit to New Zealand since 2012, and their first major tour since a 2-1 series win over Australia in 2018. Head coach Andy Farrell has framed the five-match tour as the formal launch of Ireland's World Cup preparations, describing it as a test of character as much as skill. Playing five consecutive high-stakes fixtures in stadiums where the crowd will be overwhelmingly hostile, he told his squad, will reveal truths about the group that no home fixture ever could.
Farrell has made sweeping changes from the side beaten 32-17 by the Maori All-Blacks earlier in the week. Johnny Sexton captains from out-half alongside Jamison Gibson Park. Andrew Porter, returning from a Six Nations injury, joins Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong in the front row. Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan form the second row, with Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier, and Caelan Doris completing a formidable back row. In the backline, Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose start in the centres, with James Lowe, Keith Earls, and Hugo Keenan providing pace and experience out wide.
The bench retains Cian Healy despite the prop appearing to suffer a serious leg injury against the Maori All-Blacks — a decision that speaks to both his importance and the squad's depth concerns. The betting markets, meanwhile, have done something unusual: they have priced Ireland and New Zealand identically at 10/11, a rare acknowledgment that this is a contest between genuine equals. What happens in Auckland on Saturday will echo well beyond this tour.
Ireland will travel to Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, July 2, to face New Zealand's All-Blacks in what amounts to a watershed moment for the team's World Cup campaign. The match kicks off at 8:05am Irish time and will be broadcast on Sky Sports Action. For Ireland, a victory would carry historic weight—they have never beaten the All-Blacks on New Zealand soil, making this fixture a chance to rewrite that particular record.
This tour marks Ireland's first return to New Zealand since 2012, and their first major tour since a 2-1 series victory over Australia in 2018. Head coach Andy Farrell has framed the three-week journey as the formal beginning of Ireland's World Cup preparations, a gauntlet of five consecutive high-stakes matches played far from home, in stadiums where the crowd will overwhelmingly favor the opposition. Farrell told the squad that these fixtures would test not just individual players but the group's character and resilience. "We will learn so much about the players and the group as a whole," he said, "as we have to front up for five incredibly tough fixtures, far from the comforts of home and in grounds where the home support will greatly outnumber travelling Irish fans."
Farrell has named a substantially different team from the one that faced the Maori All-Blacks in Hamilton earlier in the week, a 32-17 defeat that served as a warm-up fixture. Captain Johnny Sexton will direct play at half-back alongside Jamison Gibson Park. Andrew Porter, the prop who missed the final two matches of the Six Nations through injury, returns to the front row, where he will pack down with hooker Dan Sheehan and tighthead Tadhg Furlong. The second row pairs Tadhg Beirne with James Ryan, while the back row features Peter O'Mahony at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier at openside, and Caelan Doris at number eight.
The backline shows Ireland's attacking intent. Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose occupy the centre, with James Lowe and Keith Earls on the wings and Hugo Keenan at fullback. The bench includes Cian Healy, the loosehead prop who suffered what appeared to be a serious leg injury during the Maori match but has been retained in the squad. He will be joined by Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Kieran Treadwell, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, and Bundee Aki.
The betting markets reflect the magnitude of the contest. Both teams are priced at 10/11, suggesting a genuinely even matchup—a rare assessment for a test between Ireland and the All-Blacks. A draw sits at 18/1, a long shot that underscores the expectation that one side will prevail. For Ireland, the challenge is not merely to compete but to break a historical pattern. New Zealand has long held dominion over Irish teams on their own turf, and Saturday offers a chance to alter that narrative. What unfolds in Auckland will shape not just this tour but the trajectory of Ireland's World Cup ambitions.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
This is the start of our Rugby World Cup campaign and it is going to be a fantastic challenge for our group facing five massive tests across the three weeks.— Andy Farrell, Ireland head coach
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