Ireland will face the mighty All Blacks at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday in what promises to be a mouthwatering clash between the world’s two top-ranked sides.
Here, we take a look at three key battles which could decide the outcome of the match in Dublin.
Johnny Sexton v Beauden Barrett
The Leinster man will be desperate to improve vastly on his sub-par display in the 28-17 win over Argentina last weekend.
The 33-year-old’s kicking out of hand was unusually out of kilter and he was one of the players at fault for the Pumas opening try.
But motivation will not be short this week for Sexton as he prepares for a duel against two-time Word Player of the Year Barrett.
The Kiwi superstar has chalked up 571 points from 71 Tests, at an average of 8.04 points a game, while Sexton has scored 732 points from 83 for an 8.81 average.
Remarkably, Barrett has scored 21 more international tries than Sexton in 12 less appearances, but the Irishman can cause some serious damage with ball in hand if afforded the necessary space.
He can also pin his opponents back deep into their own territory, with his game management skills critical to how the Men in Green perform in the 10-12 axis. In contrast, Barrett’s kicking from hand is inconsistent but he can move the ball with purpose from any form of attack.
Both players will be central to Saturday’s result.
James Ryan v Brodie Retallick
The Leinster lock has emerged as one of the rising stars of the game and comes into the All Blacks match on the back of a man-of-the-match performance against Argentina.
The 22-year-old, who has only lost once in his 12 international appearances, produced a display of immense energy and commitment, topping the charts with a stunning 17 carries and 13 tackles.
His voracious work rate in the loose makes him one of the central figures in the Irish pack, coupled with his ability to carry hard and get over the gain line.
Retallick meanwhile remains an instrumental presence for the All Blacks despite his lack of game time since returning from a shoulder injury last month.
The line-out may be his key strength, where he destroyed England last weekend, but away from that he puts in a serious shift to win his own ball and put teammates in formidable attacking positions.
The 2014 World Player of the Year may have the experience, but the influential Irishman has shown before that he is up for any challenge no matter how big the task is.
Jacob Stockdale v Rieko Ioane
Stockdale was one of Ireland’s leading lights during the Six Nations, scoring a record seven tries in five matches en route to collecting the Player of the Tournament award.
The Ulster man possesses gas, power, good defence, accurate kicking from hand and reliability under the high ball – all of which he will need to use to full effect when he steps out against the world champions on Saturday.
One of the rising stars in Irish rugby, the Lisburn native will come up against the best winger in the game in Ioane.
The imposing Blues player may have the edge in his attacking prowess going forward – with 22 tries in 22 internationals against Stockdale’s 11 in 13, but he’ll need plenty of assistance from his back-line to get the upper hand on a dominant Irish defensive unit.
