Key events
Preamble
Welcome to Dublin, where Ireland commence their Autumn International fixtures by welcoming New Zealand. This should be quite the Test match, and thatâs before you consider the men in green are facing the team that splintered their collective souls into a million pieces with that defeat in the quarter-final of last yearâs Rugby World Cup.
This could bring as much drama as the TV show that shares the timing and illumination status of this clash â Friday Night Lights. Indeed the Ireland team is not unlike the Dillon Panthers of that serial. A serious but inspiringly dark eyed coach whoâs been married for ages and has kids miles apart in age; key players in the team giving more than a hint they might be too old for the role by this stage of the series; a key playmaker still in the shadow of his more talented predecessor; and a suited back office director or sport type bloke behind the scenes who has a record of not treating women in the employ of his company very well. (Yes, I bloody love the show Friday Night Lights, what of it?)
All this is to say that Ireland come into this match with the nagging feeling that the squad is both overcooked in age profile and undergarnished in terms of preparation; especially matched against the two hit outs the All Blacks have absorbed.
Itâs a tricky tie to call. New Zealand are nothing like the side they have been for most of their existence, with some fundamental issues still be resolved by Scott Robertson, not least their discipline. Andy Farrellâs men are as usual made from a core of a Leinster team that have coasted their way to an undefeated domestic season, will this plus the short time in camp be enough to have them ready to deal with an NZ squad giddy from a Twickenham win?
Stick around with me to find out.