Ireland can beat All Blacks again: Fitzgerald

“Like I said, that tag of favourites and underdogs doesn’t really mean a whole lot to us, because we’re all about preparing us for this weekend, getting ready mentally for what will be an unbelievably tough challenge”. They have made five changes to the side that lost in Chicago, with the most notable being the return of their first-choice locks, Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock.

Coverage of today’s game between Ireland v New Zealand will be shown live on Sky Sports 2 HD (Sky channel 401, Sky HD 409, Virgin 511 and BT TV 402), with the pre-match build-up starting at 4.45pm and kick-off set for 5.30pm.

The try came just moments after an extraordinary last-ditch Barrett tackle on Irish flanker Sean O’Brien, just metres from the line after an Aaron Smith knock-on.

All Blacks defeat Ireland in Dublin By Bob Waqasaqa Sunday 20/11/2016Brodie Retallick in action against Ireland. The center sidestepped scrumhalf Conor Murray and lunged across for the opening try.

“It feels a bit better (compared to Chicago) that was a real test match!” said newly-crowned world player of the year Barrett.

New Zealand include 10 of the team which started in the Chicago defeat.

“That was almost embarrassing”, Barrett said.

Two weeks on from Ireland’s shock win in Chicago, the world champions produced the goods in Dublin despite Ireland’s dominant 67 per cent possession.

To just pile on the pressure, New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has tagged Ireland as the favourites for this autumn worldwide, owing to the last result between the two teams and the fact that this match will be played in environs more familiar to the Irish.

“We’re frustrated and annoyed”, said Ireland captain Best.

“You don’t want to get too over-emotional”, said Coles, who became a father for the second time last week as his wife gave birth to a baby boy.

“Big one-off performances and then a drop off isn’t acceptable anymore with this group of players”, Best said on Friday at the captain’s run.

It came at a cost in personnel to the Irish as a third player CJ Stander had to go off. They hold the ball well.

The All Blacks struck the killer blow soon after Fekitoa returned from the bin, completing a counterattack of brilliant inter-passing with his second converted try in the 66th.

Both Best and Ireland boss Joe Schmidt refused to be drawn into any critique of the referee’s performance, however.

In a pulsating game Ireland were restricted by a determined New Zealand defence and they paid the price physically when Sexton, Renshaw and Stander were all forced to leave the field with injuries, with Henshaw being taken off on a stretcher. “However, I would like to see some consistency”.

“From that side of things it is not something we dwell on”.

Sam Cane: Avoided a yellow card after a reckless high tackle on Henshaw after wrapping his arms round the Irishman.

Ireland’s Johnnie Sexton, right, and New Zealand’s Beauden Barrett during the Autumn International rugby match at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Saturday Nov. 19, 2016. “Some of those guys may not get the opportunity to play next week and that would be very disappointing”.