All Blacks very good as Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour hots up

The All Blacks were very good in dismantling Ireland in Auckland to set the scene for next month’s Greatest Rivalry Tour to South Africa.

The All Blacks play seven matches in South Africa, including Tests on three successive weekends. They complete the Test series with the fourth Test in four Saturday’s in Baltimore, USA.

Ireland, in their final Nations Championship match of the season, were always going to be the biggest challenge in new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie’s first month in charge. However, the visitors were never allowed to settle by an All Blacks team that played direct, mixed up their attack with ball in hand and from the boot, were physical, balanced and looked like the very good All Blacks teams of days past.

There is mongrel to these All Blacks, something that was absent in the 18-month Scott Robertson tenure.

There is something building under Rennie. He is the right fit for the group of All Blacks he selected for the Nations Championship three home Tests.

Ireland continue to look like a team being forced into a rebuild, for which is there not a like for like replacement for certain positions.

The All Blacks won 40-21 after leading 28-7 at halfime. They were always two-plus scores ahead of Ireland in scoring six tries to three.

It was the physicality in the collisions that was most impressive. They took the direct route, which is when they are the most dangerous. We seldom saw that with Robertson’s All Blacks.

This performance reminded me of Rennie’s Chiefs when they won back-to-back Super Rugby titles.

The attacking mindset came via natural skill, quick hands, but also through a kick and chase game.

Defensively, they showed as much appetite as they did in wanting to score tries.

Will Jordan’s chase back, tackle and turn-over penalty was a statement moment that there is something different about these All Blacks when compared with the squad that lost successive Test matches in South Africa in the Rugby Championship in 2024.

There is no comparison to the All Blacks who raised the white flag against the Springboks in Wellington in the 43-10 defeat in 2025.

Damian McKenzie, at fullback was named Player of the Match. McKenize played No 10 for the final 20 minutes after Ruben Love was substituted on the hour. Love, who kicked five from five conversions, looked comfortable before being injured in an aerial collision.

Jordan extended his All Blacks Test try-scoring record to 51 tries in 57 Tests.

Replacement hooker Asafo Aumua, on for the injured Codie Taylor just 30 minutes into the Test, was explosive and strong in the carry, while lock Patrick Tuipulotu was physically imposing in his first start of 2025. Lock/flank Tupou Vaa’i, who played the first 46 minutes as a blindside flanker, gave the All Blacks additional lineout options and greater physical presence.

All Blacks centre Jordie Barrett was excellent and Quinn Tupaea, at No 13, made a statement that he could be the No 13 puzzle piece to the All Blacks.

Hurricanes winger/fullback Josh Moorby, in his first Test start, was outstanding.

Rennie applauded the win, given the quality of the opposition.

“Really rapt,” he said. “They’re such a good side, Ireland, and we asked a lot of questions of them.

“I thought the balance of our game was really good tonight. Our big men carried, we were a little bit more direct and there was smarter kicking.”

The All Blacks have now beaten Ireland four times in succession.

The All Blacks are unbeaten in 53 Test matches at Auckland’s Eden Park, dating back to the 18-all draw against the Springboks in 1994. I

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series needed a powerful All Blacks team, unbeaten in 2026, to arrive in South Africa.

ALL BLACKS: Tries: Patrick Tuipulotu, Ardie Savea, Will Jordan, Asafo Aumua, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown. Conversions: Ruben Love (5).
IRELAND:  Tries: Jack Conan, Joe McCarthy, Hugo Keenan. Conversions: Sam Prendergast (3).