New Zealand - Ireland -

Despite Ireland’s rise, New Zealand has maintained an edge in high-stakes tournament play, winning a thrilling 28–24 quarter-final at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Recent Encounters and Future Fixtures

Most recently, New Zealand has reclaimed some momentum with two decisive wins in the last 18 months: Google Sports Data This response uses data provided by Google Sports

The dynamic changed on November 5, 2016, at in Chicago. Ireland secured a historic 40–29 victory, ending their 111-year wait for a win. This match dismantled the "fear factor" and ignited a fierce rivalry that has seen the last 10 matches (up to late 2025) split evenly with five wins apiece. Modern Dominance and Key Milestones New Zealand - Ireland

Ireland became just the fifth touring side to win a series in New Zealand, coming from 1–0 down to win 2–1 with a final 32–22 victory in Wellington.

The rivalry between New Zealand and Ireland has transformed from a historical mismatch into one of the most intense and competitive fixtures in world rugby. For over a century, the held an aura of invincibility over Ireland , but the landscape shifted dramatically in 2016, leading to a modern era where every clash is a heavyweight battle. The Historical Context (1905–2015) Despite Ireland’s rise, New Zealand has maintained an

Ireland beat the All Blacks 16–9 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

For 111 years, Ireland struggled to find a way past New Zealand. Their first meeting in 1905 ended in a 15–0 win for the All Blacks, setting a tone of dominance that saw New Zealand win 27 of their first 28 encounters, with the only blemish being a 10–10 draw in 1973. During this era, scorelines often reflected a massive gulf in class, including a 60–0 defeat for Ireland in 2012. The Turning Point: Chicago 2016 This match dismantled the "fear factor" and ignited

Since that breakthrough, Ireland has achieved several firsts that solidified their status as a global power: