Ireland vs New Zealand – LIVE!
Ireland get their Autumn Nations Series campaign up and running tonight with a blockbuster showdown against New Zealand in Dublin. It is a repeat of the quarter-final epic from last year’s World Cup, when Ireland’s last-eight hoodoo continued and the All Blacks marched on, eventually losing to South Africa in the final.
New Zealand come into this after surviving a huge scare against England at Twickenham a week ago, when George Ford’s late penalty hit the post and the fly-half then missed a last-gasp drop-goal attempt. They know more will be needed here if they are to quieten a raucous Dublin crowd and earn a statement win.
Andy Farrell will soon to take a temporary step away from the Ireland job, to focus on the Lions ahead of next year’s tour to Australia, but for now his full focus remains on his Irish responsibilities. This is a first return to action since a thrilling win over South Africa in the summer. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below!
Ireland vs New Zealand latest news
Ireland 3-3 New Zealand
20:40 , Matt Verri
26 mins: Throw is not straight – huge let-off for Ireland!
Pressure still on them though, with the scrum deep in their 22. New Zealand will throw everything at this.
First though a bit of a delay, Vaai has a cut on his forehand and needs patching up.
Ireland 3-3 New Zealand
20:38 , Matt Verri
24 mins: Great work from Sititi, as Ringrose gets isolated and doesn’t release. McKenzie’s kick, All Blacks lineout a few metres outside the 22.
Advantage for New Zealand, Gibson-Park offside. Free play now.
Going nowhere, though, so back we go for the penalty. McKenzie… kicks to the corner!
Big call.
Ireland 3-3 New Zealand
20:36 , Matt Verri
22 mins: Scrum collapsed but the ball is out and New Zealand have numbers out wide.
McKenzie leads the charge… loses it! Knocked forward, Ireland claim and Gibson-Park can kick it clear.
All Blacks once again knock it on, Ireland win it back. And it’s a penalty – one that Crowley kicks to touch and gets his side well into New Zealand’s half.
Ireland 3-3 New Zealand
20:33
20 mins: All Blacks best spell of the match. Seeing plenty more of the ball and camping themselves in the Irish half.
They have a scrum after an Irish knock-on, chance to keep the pressure on. 15 metres inside Ireland’s half.
Ireland 3-3 New Zealand
20:31 , Matt Verri
18 mins: Not a great kick from McKenzie, it’s a lineout just outside the 22 for New Zealand.
Ioane is then absolutely flattened by Ringrose. Huge hit, perfectly timed.
Double figures for phases, but All Blacks are still outside the 22. Defence holding up.
But that’s brilliant from McKenzie with the offload. Jordan finds Telea out wide, Lowe deals with it well and clears. Telea ran out of space on the touchline.
Ireland 3-3 New Zealand
20:29 , Matt Verri
16 mins: Level on the scoreboard but the momentum is with Ireland. They are winning most of the battles out there.
Ireland have gone aerial a few times already – New Zealand up to the task so far.
Now New Zealand send it up and this time it’s their penalty for obstruction.
Ireland 3-3 New Zealand
20:27 , Matt Verri
13 mins: And it’s all kicking off, as both sets of players decide to get involved in some pushing and shoving.
Crowd didn’t need an excuse to turn up the noise, but they have one.
Barrett it was who sparked it – no idea what actually bothered him. Doesn’t take much, it would seem.
Ireland 3-3 New Zealand
20:24 , Matt Verri
12 mins: Aki has space to charge into, but he’s already looking at that and forgets to catch the ball. Knocked forward.
Scrappy start from the centre.
PENALTY! Ireland 3-3 New Zealand | Damian McKenzie 10′
20:23 , Matt Verri
Very central, not far outside the 22. You can put these three points on the board already.
Straight through the middle of the posts. New Zealand do hit back immediately.
Ireland 3-0 New Zealand
20:22 , Matt Verri
10 mins: Kelleher looks to have got over the ball at the breakdown, but the penalty goes New Zealand’s way.
And it’s a swift chance for them to level it up again.
PENALTY! Ireland 3-0 New Zealand | Jack Crowley 8′
20:20 , Matt Verri
Easy as you like for Crowley to get Ireland up and running.
It was Barrett penalised for that penalty – really harsh, looking at the replays. He didn’t slow down or change his direction.
Ireland 0-0 New Zealand
20:19 , Matt Verri
7 mins: New Zealand clear their lines from the scrum, massive kick from McKenzie to get his side up past the halfway line.
But it’s a penalty for Ireland, just outside the New Zealand 22. Hansen wins it, he was obstructed as he chased the kick.
Ireland will go for the posts.
Ireland 0-0 New Zealand
20:16 , Matt Verri
4 mins: Neither pack wanted to give an inch at the first scrum, so it’s all a bit messy. Couple of resets required.
Eventually it’s out and Ireland move it nicely, into the 22 they go.
Aki with the loose pass though, and it’s forward. Apart from that it was great.
Ireland 0-0 New Zealand
20:14 , Matt Verri
2 mins: Porter charges the kick down, New Zealand knock it on… big early roar from the stands.
Ireland will have the put-in at the scrum.
KICK-OFF!
20:12 , Matt Verri
Underway in Dublin!
20:10 , Matt Verri
Huge roar as the Irish players march forward as they face the Haka, near enough ending up on the halfway line.
Here we go then. Kick-off next.
20:08 , Matt Verri
Ireland’s Call as elite as ever in Dublin.
On we go… time for the Haka!
20:05 , Matt Verri
Right, we’ve made it through that particular obstacle.
Onto the anthems. We will start this match at some point, I promise.
20:01 , Matt Verri
Irish president Michael D. Higgins is out and he’s going to greet the players ahead of kick-off.
This would be why they walked out 13 minutes before kick-off…
Here we go…
19:57 , Matt Verri
Right then, players are in the tunnel.
Plenty of smiles from the All Blacks, who are being made to wait a bit by the Irish squad. Huge cheers as they appear on the big screen.
Not long now!
19:51 , Matt Verri
About 20 minutes to go until kick-off at the Aviva.
Warm-ups are nearly done… stands are swiftly filling up. Feels like this is a match that could go right to the wire.
Robertson speaks of Irish bond
19:38 , Matt Verri
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson has said it will be an “emotional” night in Dublin.
Robertson played club rugby in county Down in 1993/94, and is relishing catching up with familiar faces.
“A bit emotional, actually,” Robertson said.
“There’s a family, the Herons, that I lived with when I was a young fella and came over here and played a bit of footy.
“It was a great moment for me growing up and now [to have] the chance to publicly thank them for what they did.
“They helped shape me, it was a great time in my life. It’ll be great to see them.”
Ireland schedule
19:26 , Matt Verri
Tonight’s match is the big one for Ireland in the Autumn Nations series.
Next up they take on Argentina, before facing Fiji and then finally Australia.
Andy Farrell will step away after that, as he turns his full focus to the Lions and the tour of Australia next summer.
Pre-match thoughts from Andy Farrell
19:14 , Matt Verri
The Ireland head coach has once again insisted last year’s match at the World Cup has no relevance to tonight’s clash…
Head-to-head record
19:01 , Matt Verri
No surprise that New Zealand are keen to share this graphic.
This has been a match-up the All Blacks dominated for many years, with Ireland not winning until the 29th time they faced New Zealand.
That was in 2016, starting a run of five wins for Ireland in nine matches.
All Blacks survive Twickenham scare
18:50 , Matt Verri
It was a dramatic afternoon at Twickenham for New Zealand last weekend.
George Ford could have won it with a penalty, then a drop goal… but he missed both.
The All Blacks just about survived.
Farrell: Revenge not on Ireland’s mind
18:38 , Matt Verri
New Zealand beat Ireland at last year’s World Cup, but Andy Farrell has insisted that is not added motivation for his side.
“No, that’s the truth – do you need that when you’re playing one of the best sides in the world? Everyone knows that’s the truth,” Farrell said.
“There has been a lot of rugby played and a lot of water gone under the bridge [since that game] so it doesn’t even play a part in it.
“Irish rugby is in a good place and I think everyone knows New Zealand are always the team to beat.
“I expect it to be as good as ever, if not better.”
Stage is set…
18:27 , Matt Verri
It’s going to get loud tonight. Very, very loud.
Standard Sport prediction
18:17 , Matt Verri
It promises to be a thrilling clash tonight, as it so often is when these two sides meet.
New Zealand had the edge at the World Cup last year, but Ireland were also having to deal with the pressure of breaking their quarter-final hoodoo.
Roared on by the Dublin crowd tonight, we’re going for them to beat the All Blacks.
Ireland to win, by seven points.
New Zealand team news
18:05 , Matt Verri
New Zealand have been dealt a blow with both Beauden Barrett and hooker Codie Taylor ruled out, though Brodie McAlister, Harry Plummer and Ruben Love have joined up with the squad.
New Zealand XV: Will Jordan; Mark Tele’a, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke; Damien McKenzie, Cortez Ratima; Tamaita Williams, Asafo Aumua, Tyrel Lomax, Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i, Wallace Sititi, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea
Replacements: Gorge Bell, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Pasilo Tosi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samipeni Finau, Cam Roigard, Anton Leinert-Brown, Stephen Perofeta
Ireland team news
17:55 , Matt Verri
Hugo Keenan is back in the Irish squad following his Olympic exploits earlier this summer.
Back-row Peter O’Mahony has joined up with Farrell’s squad and both scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and wing Mack Hansen return from injury.
Ireland XV: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Finlay Bealham; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris
Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Ciaran Frawley, Jamie Osborne
How to watch Ireland vs New Zealand
17:48 , Matt Verri
TV channel: Coverage starts on TNT Sports 1 at 7pm GMT on Friday ahead of an 8.10pm kick-off at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also watch the match live online via the Discovery+ app and website.
Live blog: Follow all the action right here with us!
Good evening!
17:40 , Matt Verri
Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Ireland vs New Zealand!
Huge night coming up in Dublin, one of the biggest fixtures of the Autumn Nations Series.
We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 8:10pm GMT from the Aviva Stadium.
