Farrell eyes 'reset' as Ireland-All Blacks ready for 'Battle of Chicago'

CHICAGO - Ireland coach Andy Farrell says his team's clash with New Zealand in Chicago on Saturday marks the start of the long build-up to the 2027 World Cup as he returns to the helm of the Six Nations giants.

Farrell, who stepped away from Ireland duties in late 2024 to oversee the British & Irish Lions' victorious tour of Australia earlier this year, said Saturday's Test at Soldier Field is an opportunity to "reassess" his squad with the World Cup just two years away.

The Irish are facing the All Blacks on US soil nine years after scoring their first ever victory over New Zealand in a memorable 40-29 win over the Kiwis at the same venue in 2016.

That win - the first in 111 years of trying - proved to be a watershed moment in the history of Irish rugby, infusing the squad with the belief in their ability to go toe-to-toe with the best side in the world.

Since then, Ireland have beaten the All Blacks on four further occasions, notably clinching a 2-1 series victory in New Zealand in 2022.

The All Blacks, however, have won their last two meetings against the Irish, who suffered an agonising 2023 World Cup quarter-final loss to the New Zealanders in Paris.

Farrell said Thursday that this weekend's Test in Chicago provides him with an opportunity to gauge Ireland's progress midway through the World Cup cycle.

"Many teams are reassessing where they're at, every single season," Farrell said.

"Halfway stage, though, between World Cup cycles is being talked about.

"There's always a reassessment of where all parts of our game are at and we've certainly done that.

"It's up to us to make sure that we keep kicking on, because staying where we are isn't going to be good enough going forward."

'NEED TO KICK ON'

Farrell though says he is relishing the chance to run the rule over his team as 2027 looms on the horizon.

"It's not daunting - it is what it is," Farrell said. "This is where you want to be. This is the challenge that you want in front of your team to see how you react.

"We constantly say big opportunities are there to be taken and if they're not, we've got to understand why and learn from that.

So in that regard you can't lose," he added.

Farrell - who described Saturday's game as "he battle of Chicago, round two" - wants to see improvements across the board.

"It's about us all, including myself and all the backroom staff, to keep getting better, keep improving, to keep challenging one another to reassess where our standards lie and how we need to kick on with that," he said.

"Because every team is going to progress over the next couple of years and we need to be at the forefront of that."

New Zealand meanwhile are aiming for a winning start to their latest bid for a Northern Hemisphere Grand Slam over Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.

The All Blacks last completed an autumn series slam in 2010.

Despite winning their two most recent fixtures against the Irish, the All Blacks are wary of another ambush in Chicago.

Hooker Codie Taylor, a veteran of the 2016 defeat in the Windy City, said the All Blacks were determined to avoid a repeat.

Taylor said the All Blacks had suffered off-field distractions nine years ago after arriving as the city celebrated the Chicago Cubs' World Series baseball triumph.

"We probably turned up, got caught up in the lights of the city and went down to an Irish team that was determined to beat us for the first time," Taylor said.

"We reflected on that and this week we've had the opportunity to get out and see some things in Chicago and now Test week has rolled around and there is a sense of intensity with the preparation."

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