All Blacks vs Ireland: Why the Irish owe their greatness to New Zealand

As Munster recorded a famous victory in 1978, Irish fans might reasonably have expected their team to be on the verge – season after painful season – of claiming the greatest scalp of all.

The desire to emerge from the shadow of the black jersey pushed the men in green to achieve great things. It did the same for other rugby nations.

Just as regular contact with the All Blacks strengthened the Wallabies in the second half of the 20th century, constant exposure to the All Blacks improved Ireland.

It took both teams 101 years to play their first 19 matches; they went through the next 19 clashes in 18 years.

New Zealand’s influence on Ireland’s growth as a rugby force goes far deeper than just being a source of inspiration.

Players who learned the game in New Zealand have brought a Kiwi sensibility to the Irish game for decades, at club and national team level. This trend was clearly accentuated with the introduction of professionalism in sport.

Kiwi coaches have also been involved. When Ireland finally broke their All Blacks duck in Chicago, in 2016, they did so with a New Zealander as team coach.

The astute Joe Schmidt instilled a certain tactical acumen and defensive strategy into the Irish that elevated them beyond the passionate charges of yesteryear. Half of those four Grand Slams came in the years after Schmidt was introduced to Ireland’s top team.

It was the finest era in Irish rugby history and, given the extent to which New Zealand inspired and fueled that growth, it is fitting that the pinnacle of its finest era was the brilliant series victory on these shores in 2022.

This morning’s contest will mark the latest installment of Ireland’s well-deserved place at the top of world football.