It all comes to this. The last test of the season. The All Blacks have played 13 games, and won 13 games. To win against Ireland this weekend would mean the All Blacks will have completed the first perfect calendar-year season in history. This will not only make them the first All Blacks team to complete this feat, but the first team in international rugby history. This must be weighing heavily on the minds of Steve Hansen and Richie McCaw, more so with the loss of Dan Carter again.
I can’t help but wonder though if the team management is going to let the potential legacy of this All Blacks side hamper the chances of some younger players. With Carter being out of commission it’s only logical that Aaron Cruden will steep into the breach. Which is of course a great move, Cruden has more than proved his value this season. Personally though I’d like to see Tom Taylor get the start. He’s young, raw and pretty much a rookie yes. But he also stepped up in the Rugby Championship, and he played a damn good game. I’d like to see that rewarded.
I’m not for a moment suggesting the All Blacks coast against the Irish. Yes, the Irish team have never defeated the All Blacks. That is history though. Which when than whistle blows to start the game realistically means nothing. The Springboks hadn’t won for years in Brisbane…until this year. History is nothing.
Further, the Irish always play with heart and passion. Captain and long time warrior Brian O’Driscoll is in doubt, and Fergus Mcfadden is out. O’Driscoll though states he is confident he will be on the field this weekend, and anyone who knows O’Driscoll knows that the only thing that’s likely to keep him off the field would be a tall skeletal chap with a scythe. Even then I wouldn’t rule O’Driscoll out.
The Irish had a lacklustre performance against Australia. This will not work in the All Blacks favour. The Irish will be upset with themselves, and they will come out firing hard. If O’Driscoll plays this will likely be his last test. To grab that first elusive victory against a team the calibre of the All Blacks on a ground like Landsdowne Road would be the ultimate swansong. When asked by the Irish Times about the Irish teams chances, O’Driscoll replied “I’m going into it thinking there’s a distinct possibility of beating them, and we need to do everything we can to prepare ourselves for giving ourselves a good chance.”
The All Blacks will be ready and waiting to defend their unbeaten season. A lot of bold statements have been made in New Zealand media about Ireland “dreaming” if they think they can beat New Zealand. The results of this season speak for themselves, having beaten the Australians, South Africans, French, English and Argentinians. What I’m suggesting though is that the All Blacks have beaten these teams using players like Steven Luatua, like Tom Taylor, even at the expense of more experienced players like Colin Slade. The All Blacks have not only shown they have the strength, they have shown they have the depth. The All Blacks have beaten the best in the world with what for all intents and purposes are rookies and third string starters for a large part of the season. They’ve endured forced line up changes, losing Luke Romano for 15 weeks and being without Corey Jane for most of the season. Yet the All Blacks continue to march through.
I know it’s not likely to see Taylor step in for Carter, and I really do bear Cruden no ill will, I’m actually a huge fan of his. I’d just like to see the team reward and reinvest in the future of the squad. No matter what though, this game will be memorable. It may well be the victory that sees New Zealand firmly in rugby’s history books. It will probably be the last time we see a much loved Irish hero. It will be the end of a stellar season of rugby, and no matter what it will be the most intense 80 minutes both teams will have had this year.
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Main Photo Credit: Alessio Bragadini via Flickr
