15 men.
15 men ready for the biggest day of their lives. For four years, everyone associated with Ireland rugby has been waiting for this Saturday.
That Argentina loss still lingers. It was a painful one. It was a gruelling one.
But 2019 would be different. Yes, we’d be losing a few but we’d still have the likes of Murray, Sexton and Cian Healy in the prime of their lives.
2019 was the year. For the last four, Ireland have hit hard and they’ve won big in autumn internationals and the likes. Heck, they’ve beaten New Zealand not once, but twice.
But Saturday is a different ball game. Saturday is championship rugby and it’s where the All Blacks are at their revved up best.
Ireland have stuttered and stumbled their way to here. That’s why they’re playing New Zealand in the first place. But look, time will tell if it’s a good thing. We’re used to coming into these big games in the perfect world so this is going to be different.
There aren’t many expectations. Surely there’s a big one left in these men.
Joe Schmidt has stuck with the tried and trusted. Kearney at 15. Earls at 14. Henshaw is in there along with the in-form Garry Ringrose and the pack is as expected.
That means we have big Chris Farrell, Larmour and Conway all in reserve in defence.
Here's the Ireland team to play New Zealand in the quarter final on Saturday.
COME ON IRELAND!#TeamOfUs #NZLvIRE #ShoulderToShoulder pic.twitter.com/62lBLdqQQP
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) October 17, 2019
And here’s the team they have to beat.
👀 ICYMI | The All Blacks team to face @IrishRugby has been named!
READ MORE ➡️ https://t.co/lCVED6DpHO#BACKBLACK pic.twitter.com/PEW6NevZEo
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) October 17, 2019
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