‘Ireland face key period after deflating Chicago return’

While much of Ireland’s preparation for its 2016 Soldier Field rematch with the All Blacks was focused on a renowned Irish victory, it was difficult to envision the 2023 World Cup in the wake of that victory.

There were many ingredients.

The number of green jerseys in Downtown Chicago significantly increased in the 24 hours leading up to Ireland’s 26-13 loss on Saturday, bringing back memories of two years ago when a sizable crowd of supporters took them to Paris for another All Blacks game.

Heartache was the story’s ending in the Stade de France. Although this transatlantic adventure didn’t have the same defining characteristics as the original, it will still be significant.

A significant difference was present. Ireland put a last-gasp try into the semi-finals in Paris, adding pressure to New Zealand for the first time.

However, they ended the game with a whimper in front of a largely Irish crowd at Soldier Field, falling 13-7 to the final quarter.

In Dublin earlier this year, France put an end to Ireland’s Six Nations bid with 34 unanswered points. This capitulation was not as spectacular as the others, but it was a top-five nation’s escape.

Indeed, the inquiries Farrell has received about his aging, underperforming squad and the growing need for evolution two years after returning from his British and Irish Lions stint will only grow.

Farrell never once let his post-match comments get too stale, still depicting a despondent figure in Soldier Field as he blamed the defeat on “mental switch-offs” and “a lack of sharpness.”

Ireland reclaimed the Six Nations title during Farrell’s sabbatical. The rest of their autumn meetings with Japan, Australia, and South Africa are opportunities to experiment before they attempt to reclaim the trophy from France, who caused Ireland’s only other loss this year.

On the Ireland Rugby Social, former Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray said, “Andy trusts his players because he’s watching them 24/7 and he’ll make changes if he believes they’re not up to scratch.”

He’s a great guy, but he won’t make decisions based on sentiment or knowing a person’s past, such as a person who has lived there for a while. If a player improves the team’s performance and the environment, he’ll do it.

Ireland won 40-29 in the World Cup quarter-final against Ireland, which is regarded as the rivalry’s pinnacle, while the intensity and stakes of the competition saw heroic efforts from both teams in the team’s pivotal victory in Chicago nine years ago.

However, neither of those games was present in Saturday’s entry.

With a number of drawn-out stops for tackle reviews and injuries, neither team managed to produce an engaging spectacle in a nation hosting the World Cup in six years.

In the end, New Zealand won’t care. After a second-half surge that produced three tries in 15 minutes, they are still playing a long-awaited fifth Grand Slam of the northern hemisphere.

However, there is much to be desired in Ireland.

They lost to the All Blacks in the opening campaign of the autumn last year. They were not much better than they were in Dublin that night because of one of the worst performances of the Farrell era.

At least there were some positive aspects. With a Jack Crowley penalty and Tadhg Furlong’s first try since 2021, they quickly responded to Tadhg Beirne’s highly content early red card, which gave them a 10-0 lead.

Ryan Baird staked his claim to be a regular fixture in the back row, while Stuart McCloskey, a surprise addition at inside center, shined in his first game against the All Blacks before being forced off injured.

Although Farrell has previously lit a fire under his squad, this is one of his more difficult times.

They defeated Les Bleus 38-17 in their first match of the 2023 World Cup to complete a successful Six Nations defense.

Wins followed the All Blacks and South Africa’s 2022 and 2024 victories, while victories over Argentina, Fiji, and Australia came after their losses last year in November.

Given the travel required over the following 24 hours and the limited availability of substitutes for Japan’s visit to Dublin on Saturday (12:40 GMT), it seems likely that Farrell will have changed his line-up.

“I believe you’ll see a pretty good selection and maybe a few [changes],” Murray said.