Will Jordan, a fullback for the All Blacks, said Saturday’s [NZT] Test match against Ireland in Dublin was another chance to evaluate their progress as they look to regain their position as the top team in rugby.
“It doesn’t get any bigger than on Friday against an Ireland team that has been extremely difficult to defeat over the past couple of years,” Jordan stated.
“Our goal is to become the world’s top squad. Ireland is ranked first, thus it will be difficult to defeat them at home.
According to Jordan, the All Blacks anticipated a lot of early fervour from Ireland, particularly in their first home game in a while.
Over the past few years, the rivalry between the two teams had been discussed.
Although we are aware of their threats throughout the pitch, especially when attacking with a strong attacking framework, both teams will be thrilled.
“It’s going to be a challenge for us and we’re excited about it.”
Prop Tyrell Lomax stated that they will be seeking to lower their penalty count after their high number against England.
It was satisfying to have fought back to get their final try to head England and then held on after Anton Lienert-Brown’s late yellow card. They have also focused on how they end games.
“We put pressure on their scrum when they had a chance to take a dropped goal and the way we finished that game showed we are growing in that area.”
According to Jordan, playing with Damian McKenzie, the first five-eighth, is exhilarating.
“Damian enjoys playing the game with a flair and an attacking mentality. We’ve played a few games together, me at the back and him at ten, and I’ve liked the dynamic.
It’s always enjoyable to go out with someone you’re close to because we get along well and are good friends. He will be eager and prepared to seize this chance. This season, he’s had some outstanding performances for us while wearing the black jersey.
He said that they had not prepared for their victory over Ireland in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals.
“We are playing the game a little differently now that we have a new coaching staff, and the same is true for them. They brought in one of my former coaches, Andrew Goodman, so I’m sure they would have made some changes as well. Additionally, our crew has changed quite a bit from a year ago, so in that sense, it’s a bit of a fresh start.”
Jordan expressed his belief that Goodman would have sought to use the left foot of former Tasman player and Ireland wing James Lowe on the left side of the pitch.
“He’s a real threat there, and the way they have a lot of bodies in motion, constantly coming at you with front doors, back doors, guys off the 9-10 tip is challenging so, I’m sure he’ll be just trying to continue what they’ve done in that space over the last few years.”
Regarding the World Cup scrum battle, Lomax stated that he could see why Ireland could have been angry about the penalties they gave away.
“I certainly do every time I get penalised so it’ll be a battle.”
The scrum in Ireland is as good as any in the northern hemisphere and is robust and solid.
“They look for a good hit, a good second chance.”
He claimed there was still room for improvement in the All Blacks scrum.
“It was amazing how the bench changed the game with our scrum [against England].” However, aiming to establish some dominance early on would be crucial in order to construct a solid foundation for our future.
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