At Soldier Field in Chicago — the same ground where Ireland ended a nine-year drought against the All Blacks in 2016 — these two nations meet again, for the seventh time in four years, carrying the accumulated weight of a rivalry that has swung back and forth with each encounter. Ireland arrives still recalibrating after the dispersal of the Lions tour, while New Zealand carries the quiet confidence of a team that has won the last two meetings. Saturday's match is less a fixture than a reckoning — a moment for both sides to declare where they truly stand.
Ireland seek redemption against All Blacks in Chicago rematch
The bear, once poked, bit back hard.
Mark
Why does this match feel different from the other six meetings between these teams in four years?
Mimi
Because both sides are wounded in different ways. Ireland is still digesting the Lions tour—eleven of their starters were there. New Zealand lost at home last November and has had to rebuild. This isn't just another fixture; it's a reckoning for both.
Mark
Jack Crowley lost his place to Sam Prendergast last year. What does it mean that he's back?
Mimi
It means Farrell believes Crowley's recent form for Munster is real and that he deserves a second chance. But it also means Prendergast isn't ready, or isn't the answer yet. Crowley has to prove he can handle the All Blacks this time.
Mark
Eleven of Ireland's starters were on the Lions tour. Is that an advantage or a burden?
Mimi
Both. They have experience and cohesion, but they're also running on fumes. The Lions tour is an honor, but it compresses the season brutally. Some players won't fully recover until November is over.
Mark
New Zealand has only five players left from their Dublin win. Does that make them weaker?
Mimi
Not necessarily. It makes them different. They're rebuilding, but they're also fresher in some ways. Beauden Barrett's return at out-half is significant—he's a game-changer. Will Jordan has five tries against Ireland. They're not a team in decline.
Mark
What does Farrell mean when he says you can't lose this match?
Mimi
He means the learning is in the contest itself. Win or lose, if Ireland plays with clarity and intent, they gain something. If they play poorly and lose, that's when the real damage happens. The opportunity is the thing—taking it or not taking it.
Mark
How much does the weather matter on Saturday?
Mimi
Cold and wet favors the team that handles it better. New Zealand has experience in these conditions. Ireland will need to be precise with the ball and disciplined in the breakdown. It won't be a day for loose rugby.
Il Polso
- Ireland has lost its last two meetings with New Zealand, including a first home defeat in nineteen games last November, and the pressure to reverse that trend is acute.
- Fourteen of Ireland's matchday squad spent the summer on the Lions tour in Australia, leaving the national team fragmented and fatigued heading into the new season.
- Andy Farrell has returned to the helm and is betting on Jack Crowley's early-season form to stabilise an out-half position that shifted hands last year.
- New Zealand is also in flux — only five players remain from their Dublin win, with key forwards injured and Rieko Ioane absent entirely ahead of a move to Leinster.
- Both coaches are framing Saturday not merely as a test match but as a statement of intent as the international season enters its most consequential stretch.
At Soldier Field in Chicago — the same ground where Ireland ended a nine-year drought against the All Blacks in 2016 — these two nations meet again, for the seventh time in four years, carrying the accumulated weight of a rivalry that has swung back and forth with each encounter. Ireland arrives still recalibrating after the dispersal of the Lions tour, while New Zealand carries the quiet confidence of a team that has won the last two meetings. Saturday's match is less a fixture than a reckoning — a moment for both sides to declare where they truly stand.
Ireland and New Zealand have become near-constant companions on the rugby calendar, meeting seven times in four years. This Saturday they return to Soldier Field in Chicago — the stadium where Ireland ended a nine-year wait for an All Blacks victory back in 2016 — for a rematch that carries particular weight for the home side.
The recent history between these teams is a story of momentum shifting hands. Ireland won in 2018 and 2021, then claimed a landmark Test series victory in New Zealand in 2022. But the All Blacks responded with force, eliminating Ireland at the 2023 World Cup quarter-finals and winning 23-13 in Dublin last November — Ireland's first home defeat in nineteen games. The pendulum, for now, sits with New Zealand.
What complicates Ireland's preparation is the shadow of the British and Irish Lions tour. Eleven starters and three bench players were involved in that summer campaign in Australia — an honour that extracts a heavy physical and psychological toll. Andy Farrell stepped aside during the Six Nations to let Simon Easterby manage the depleted squad, and while Ireland won four of five games, a heavy defeat to France lingered. Farrell is back now, and Saturday is his first real measure of recovery.
His selections signal both faith and pragmatism. Jack Crowley returns at out-half after losing the jersey to Sam Prendergast last season, buoyed by strong early-season form. Stuart McCloskey comes in at inside centre, and 22-year-old Paddy McCarthy earns a debut off the bench. Seven changes from last year's meeting reflect how much has shifted in twelve months.
New Zealand has changed even more dramatically — only five players carry over from the Dublin victory. Rieko Ioane is absent from the squad entirely, bound for a short-term stint at Leinster. Injuries have thinned their forward pack, but Beauden Barrett returns at out-half and Will Jordan, who has scored five tries against Ireland across previous meetings, starts at full-back.
Kick-off comes at 8:10 p.m. Irish time in cold, showery Chicago. Farrell has called it 'The Battle of Chicago, part two' — a phrase that captures the stakes. For Ireland, it is a chance to prove the Lions disruption has not undone the progress of recent years. For New Zealand, it is an opportunity to confirm that the balance of power in this rivalry has genuinely shifted.
Ireland and New Zealand have become fixtures in each other's calendar, meeting seven times in just four years. This Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago, they do it again—a rematch that carries weight for both sides, though perhaps more so for Ireland, which is still finding its footing after a summer that left the team fractured across two continents.
It took Ireland nine years to win against the All Blacks. When they finally did, in 2016, it happened at this very stadium. Since then, the script has flipped. Ireland won again in 2018 and 2021, both times at home in Dublin. Then came the series victory in New Zealand in the summer of 2022—a come-from-behind win that seemed to announce Ireland's arrival as a genuine threat. But that bear, once poked, bit back hard. The All Blacks eliminated Ireland at the 2023 World Cup quarter-finals, and when New Zealand visited Dublin last November, they won 23-13, handing Ireland its first home defeat in nineteen games. The momentum, for now, belongs to the visitors.
What makes Saturday's meeting particularly revealing is the toll of the British and Irish Lions tour this summer. Eleven of Ireland's starting fifteen were involved in that campaign in Australia, with another three on the bench. The Lions tour is a singular honor and a singular drain—it compresses the season, demands everything from players, and leaves them running on fumes when they return to their national teams. Andy Farrell, Ireland's head coach, stepped back for the Six Nations to let Simon Easterby take over, a decision that acknowledged the exhaustion. Ireland won four of five games in that window, but the heavy loss to France was impossible to ignore. Now Farrell is back, and Saturday is a test of how well his players have recovered.
The team selection reflects both ambition and pragmatism. Jack Crowley, the Munster out-half, gets another chance after losing his place to Sam Prendergast last year. Crowley has started this season in form, and Farrell is banking on that momentum. Stuart McCloskey takes the inside centre spot ahead of Bundee Aki. Paddy McCarthy, a 22-year-old loosehead prop with just eleven games for Leinster, earns a debut on the bench. Seven changes from last year's meeting show how much has shifted. Caelan Doris returns from injury to the bench, while Hugo Keenan, Mack Hanen, and Joe McCarthy are ruled out.
New Zealand has turned over even more. Only five players remain from their Dublin victory. Rieko Ioane, who had become a familiar antagonist in these encounters, has been left out of the matchday squad entirely—he is heading to Leinster on a short-term deal next month. The All Blacks are managing significant injuries: tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax is out, as are second rows Tupou Vaa'i and Patrick Tuipulotu. But Beauden Barrett returns at out-half after missing their final Rugby Championship game, and Will Jordan, who has scored five tries against Ireland in previous meetings, is at full-back.
Chicago on Saturday will be cold—around 9 degrees Celsius at kick-off, with scattered showers possible. The Windy City will not live up to its nickname, but the conditions will be testing enough. Kick-off is 3:10 p.m. local time, 8:10 p.m. Irish time. Andy Farrell has called it "The Battle of Chicago, part two," framing it as a chance for his team to prove something after a season that has asked difficult questions. Scott Robertson, New Zealand's head coach, speaks of preparation and passion. Both men know what is at stake: not just a win, but a statement about where each team stands as the international season enters its crucial phase.
Citazioni salienti
This is where you want to be, this is the challenge that you want in front of your team, to see how you react. Big opportunities are there to be taken, and if they're not, then we've got to understand why and learn from that anyway, so in that regard, you can't lose.— Andy Farrell, Ireland head coach
This is an awesome match to kick off our Northern Tour with. Ireland are a strong side and will have a loud contingent of supporters here in Chicago, so we are prepared for a passionate clash on the Soldier Field stage.— Scott Robertson, New Zealand head coach
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