All Blacks ‘a brotherly rivalry’ for Gibson-Park

Jamison Gibson-Park, Ireland scrumhalf, claims that it’s “brotherly rivalry” when faced with New Zealand.

After three years with Leinster, Gibson-Park, who was born in New Zealand, qualified to represent Ireland in 2019.

The 33-year-old has since played for Ireland 43 times and anticipates a second meeting with the All Blacks in Chicago on November 1.

He continued, “I always want to be a part of that, and I enjoy fighting those guys.”

It dates back to my earliest years of life. I played against a lot of these guys when I was younger, so I get the impression that you two are probably the same. The brotherly rivalry is similar to that.

This one will not be different.

Gibson-Park recalls his first game against his country of birth, which was a 29-20 victory over New Zealand in November 2021.

He continued, “I thought I was ready for it, but when you get out there in the moment, it hits you pretty hard.”

Rieko Ioane, an All Blacks center, will join Gibson-Park at Leinster after the international break to sign for the Irish province on a seven-month contract.

When Ioane’s move was made public in April, Gibson-Park acknowledged that it had surprised provincial players.

Given that Johnny Sexton claimed that Ioane and Ireland sparked a row after the final whistle of Sexton’s career and that he had made the comments after the final whistle of Ireland’s 2023 World Cup exit to the All Blacks, it shocked fans.

I went to Blues training with him. He was very well-regarded, Gibson-Park recalled, and I was 21 when I believe he was still in school.

I haven’t had much with him since then, but I think we have been shocked, like many others.

“Something usually whispers that something is about to go wrong, but this really struck us right away.”

Gibson-Park is also pleased to work alongside Sexton, who was previously part of Andy Farrell’s backroom team, despite having previously assisted the Englishman on a summer British and Irish Lions tour.

He is a fantastic camp host. He would have always been a big voice in the room, and it’s different now, he said, “but it’s different, it’s not strange.” “I suppose it’s different as a coach,” he said.