Few fixtures in modern rugby union have changed as dramatically as the meetings between the All Blacks and Ireland. For more than a century New Zealand won almost every Test between the two nations, and an Irish victory seemed close to impossible. Over the last decade that story has been rewritten: Ireland became one of the very few sides capable of beating the men in black home or away, and each new Test now carries genuine trans-hemisphere tension.
This guide sets out what the rivalry actually looks like today — the verified head-to-head record, Ireland’s landmark wins, New Zealand’s recent answers, how the two teams play, where they meet, and how fans in Aotearoa New Zealand can watch and follow every Test.
Key Points
- New Zealand lead the all-time series 34–5 with one draw across the first 40 Tests.
- Ireland were winless for 111 years, then won five of ten Tests between 2016 and 2024.
- Ireland’s landmark wins: Chicago 2016, Dublin 2018 and 2021, and the 2022 series in New Zealand.
- New Zealand have answered with the 2023 World Cup quarter-final and three straight wins in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
- Eden Park remains an All Blacks fortress — no home Test defeat there since 1994.
A rivalry that flipped in a single decade
New Zealand and Ireland first met on 25 November 1905 at Lansdowne Road in Dublin, during the celebrated tour of Britain and Ireland by the New Zealand “Originals”. New Zealand won that opening Test 15–0, and for generations the pattern barely changed. Ireland came close on several occasions — most painfully a 10–10 draw in Dublin in 1973 — but could not convert those near-misses into a win, while New Zealand racked up heavy scorelines including a record 60–0 victory in Hamilton in 2012.
The professional era gradually closed the gap. Ireland’s centralised provincial system, built around Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Connacht, produced a national squad that trained and played together far more often than most rivals. By the mid-2010s Ireland were physically and tactically equipped to match southern-hemisphere opponents, and the long wait for a first win over New Zealand finally ended in the most unlikely of settings.
The all-time record at a glance
Across their first 40 Tests, New Zealand lead the series 34 wins to five, with one draw. Ireland were winless in the fixture for 111 years, then won five of the ten Tests played between 2016 and 2024 — a run that briefly turned a lopsided record into one of the game’s most even elite match-ups before New Zealand steadied it again. The snapshot below summarises the numbers that matter.
Head-to-Head Snapshot
| Detail | Record |
|---|---|
| First Test | 25 Nov 1905, Lansdowne Road — New Zealand won 15–0 |
| Tests played | 40 |
| New Zealand wins | 34 |
| Ireland wins | 5 |
| Draws | 1 (10–10, Dublin, 1973) |
| Biggest New Zealand win | 60–0, Hamilton, 2012 |
| Ireland’s highest score | 40 (Chicago, 2016) |
| Eden Park | All Blacks unbeaten since 1994 |
The 2016 Chicago breakthrough
The turning point came on 5 November 2016 at Soldier Field in Chicago, a neutral venue chosen to grow the game in the United States. In front of more than 62,000 spectators, Ireland led 25–8 at half-time and stretched the margin to 30–8 early in the second half. New Zealand mounted the expected comeback to close within 33–29, but Ireland held their nerve and finished 40–29 — their first victory over the All Blacks in 111 years of trying.
Why Soldier Field changed everything
The result did more than end a losing streak; it dismantled a psychological barrier and proved Ireland could beat New Zealand on the biggest stage. Ireland captain Rory Best led the side, with Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray steering play, and the squad opened the match by forming a figure-of-eight in front of the haka to honour their late Munster coach Anthony Foley, who had died days earlier.
- Ireland outscored New Zealand five tries to four to win 40–29.
- The defeat ended New Zealand’s world-record run of 18 consecutive tier-one Test victories.
- Ireland showed that disciplined, high-tempo phase play could unsettle New Zealand’s counter-attacking game.
- The win became the launchpad for further Irish victories, including two on home soil.
Ireland turn one win into a habit (2018 and 2021)
Two weeks after Chicago, New Zealand restored order with a 21–9 win in Dublin. But the breakthrough proved no fluke. On 17 November 2018 Ireland beat New Zealand 16–9 at the Aviva Stadium — their first victory over the All Blacks on Irish soil — in a tight, forward-dominated contest. Ireland repeated the feat on 13 November 2021, winning 29–20 in Dublin with a more expansive attacking performance. Suddenly a fixture New Zealand had once owned was genuinely competitive whenever the sides met.
The 2022 series in New Zealand
Ireland arrived for a three-Test tour of New Zealand in July 2022 as one of the world’s form teams. Touring northern sides had historically struggled to sustain intensity across a full series in New Zealand, and the opening Test followed the familiar script. What happened next did not.
After losing the first Test at Eden Park, Ireland adjusted their defence and set-piece and won the second Test in Dunedin — their first-ever victory over New Zealand on New Zealand soil — before sealing the series in Wellington. The 2–1 result made Ireland the first northern-hemisphere side to win a Test series in New Zealand in the professional era.
2022 Series
| Test | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| First Test (2 Jul 2022) | Eden Park, Auckland | New Zealand won 42–19 |
| Second Test (9 Jul 2022) | Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin | Ireland won 23–12 |
| Third Test (16 Jul 2022) | Sky Stadium, Wellington | Ireland won 32–22 |
The 2023 World Cup quarter-final
The rivalry reached its dramatic peak on 14 October 2023, when the sides were drawn together in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup at the Stade de France in Paris. Ireland went in as the world’s number-one ranked team on a 17-match winning streak; New Zealand entered as motivated underdogs.
The match is widely regarded as one of the greatest Tests ever played. New Zealand used a fast defensive line and clinical breakdown work to disrupt Ireland’s structured attack, and led throughout a breathless finish. Ireland launched a 37-phase attacking drive deep in New Zealand’s half in the closing minutes, only for veteran lock Sam Whitelock to win a decisive turnover penalty. New Zealand held on 28–24 to reach the semi-finals.
Recent meetings: 2024, 2025 and 2026
Since that World Cup night, New Zealand have edged back in front in the head-to-head. On 8 November 2024 the All Blacks won 23–13 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. A year later, on 1 November 2025, the teams returned to Soldier Field in Chicago; Ireland led 10–7 at half-time and played much of the game a player down after a red card, but New Zealand pulled clear to win 26–13.
The most recent meeting came on 18 July 2026, when New Zealand beat Ireland 40–21 at Eden Park in the inaugural Nations Championship, the new global tournament that has replaced the mid-year and autumn Test windows in this cycle. The win extended the All Blacks’ unbeaten home run at Eden Park and made it three straight victories over Ireland. You can track the full season on our guide to the All Blacks’ 2026 fixtures and results.
How the two teams play
Analysts tend to frame this fixture as a clash of contrasting systems rather than a simple contest of talent. Ireland rely on a highly structured, sequence-based attack built on precise short passing and fast, low ruck ball. New Zealand — the country’s national rugby union team, the All Blacks — favour a more fluid, instinctive game designed to punish turnovers and create space out wide. The battle is usually decided at the gain line and the breakdown.
The tactical contrasts break down as follows.
| Phase of play | Ireland’s approach | New Zealand’s approach |
|---|---|---|
| Attack shape | Structured, multi-phase build-up with short passes and forward pods. | Fluid, wide game looking to exploit space and broken field. |
| Breakdown | Fast, secure recycling to keep the tempo high. | Aggressive counter-rucking to slow ball and force errors. |
| Defence | Connected line speed to shut down space early. | Line speed plus turnover threat to launch counter-attacks. |
Where they play: the key venues
The two ends of the rivalry are defined by two very different fortresses. In Dublin, the Aviva Stadium at Lansdowne Road provides a loud, singing home crowd. In Auckland, Eden Park is one of the most intimidating grounds in world sport: New Zealand have not lost a Test there since 1994, a record stretching well beyond 50 matches.
- Eden Park (Auckland): New Zealand’s stronghold and the site of the 2022 and 2026 wins over Ireland.
- Forsyth Barr Stadium (Dunedin): a fully roofed ground where Ireland claimed their first win on New Zealand soil in 2022.
- Sky Stadium (Wellington): the “Cake Tin”, where Ireland sealed the 2022 series.
- Aviva Stadium (Dublin): the rivalry’s northern home, built over the historic Lansdowne Road turf.
- Soldier Field (Chicago) & Stade de France (Paris): the neutral venues behind two of the rivalry’s defining Tests.
How to watch and follow in New Zealand
Sky Sport is the long-standing home of All Blacks Test rugby in New Zealand, carrying live coverage on satellite television and through its streaming services, Sky Sport Now and Sky Go. Condensed highlights and selected replays also appear on free-to-air television and across the growing range of digital rugby coverage that New Zealand fans now use to follow the team.
For home Tests, tickets sell quickly and should only be bought through the official channels named by New Zealand Rugby to avoid invalid resale tickets. Registering with the official supporters programme usually provides pre-sale access before general release; our guide to All Blacks tickets in New Zealand explains the process in more detail.
The bigger picture and what comes next
The Ireland fixture now sits alongside New Zealand’s other great modern tests, including the enduring All Blacks–Springboks rivalry. Under the new Nations Championship structure, the leading southern and northern nations meet twice a year across the July and November windows, with a finals weekend in London deciding the overall title. That means Ireland and New Zealand are scheduled to face each other more regularly than ever, keeping a rivalry that took a century to ignite firmly at the centre of the international game.
Sources
- All Blacks: Ireland rivalry in numbers
- All Blacks match report: New Zealand 40–21 Ireland (2026 Nations Championship)
- RTÉ: Nations Championship recap — All Blacks 40–21 Ireland
- Sky Sports: Ireland 13–26 New Zealand, Chicago, 1 November 2025
- The Irish Times: Ireland end 111 years of hurt to beat the All Blacks (2016)
- NZ Rugby: All Blacks Nations Championship opponents and format
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the all-time record between the All Blacks and Ireland?
Across their first 40 Tests, New Zealand lead 34 wins to five, with one drawn match — the 10–10 game in Dublin in 1973. Ireland’s five wins have all come since 2016.
When did Ireland first beat the All Blacks?
Ireland’s first-ever win came on 5 November 2016 at Soldier Field in Chicago, a 40–29 victory that ended 111 years without a win over New Zealand. Their first win on Irish soil followed in Dublin in 2018.
Did Ireland really win a series in New Zealand?
Yes. In July 2022 Ireland lost the first Test at Eden Park but won in Dunedin and Wellington to take the three-Test series 2–1, becoming the first northern-hemisphere side to win a series in New Zealand in the professional era.
What was the score in the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final?
New Zealand won 28–24 at the Stade de France in Paris on 14 October 2023, holding off a 37-phase Irish attack in the final minutes before Sam Whitelock secured a match-winning turnover.
When did the All Blacks and Ireland last play?
They last met on 18 July 2026, when New Zealand won 40–21 at Eden Park in the inaugural Nations Championship. It was New Zealand’s third consecutive win over Ireland, following victories in Dublin in 2024 and Chicago in 2025.
