Elliott Smith: Newstalk ZB's Voice of Rugby previews the Nations Championship clash against Ireland

The All Blacks are facing a tough challenge this weekend. 

They’re facing Ireland at Eden Park, aiming to continue their 52 match strong unbeaten record at the stadium. 

Dave Rennie has made a few changes to the squad ahead of the match – adding more bulk to the backline with Tupou Vaa’i shifted to blindside.  

Newstalk ZB’s Voice of Rugby, Elliott Smith told Ryan Bridge that by and large, the All Blacks have picked a pretty strong side for this test.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So we've got the AB's in the Irish at Eden
Park this weekend. Rehny's made a few changes ahead of
the sold out game or is it sold out? Josh Morby,
who had a fine debut last weekend, is then to
start on the left wing.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Josh is very good defensively. I had a really good
understanding of how we want to defend. For him to
come on quite early and play with that sort of confidence,
it was awesome. So it gives us a lot of
confidence to throw them out here.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Ali Smith News talks he'd be Voice of Rugby with
us this morning. Ol Good morning morning, Ryan. So the
unbeaten record is going to hold.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
I think it probably will hold in the end, Ryan. Look,
it's been under three, most famously from South Africa last
year and they came down and the All Blacks managed
to hold on there. This Irish team, I think always
will put the frighteners up in New zealand give them
what they did the last time they toured here in
twenty twenty two. But it's probably worth remembering that the
All Blacks haven't lost to Ireland since the end of

(00:52):
that tour, beat them in twenty three at the World Cup.
Beat them in twenty four in Dublin, beat them in
twenty five in Chicago. So the All Blacks have managed
to get on top of this Irish team over the
last couple of years, and that's with a coach that
was discarded for not being on the right trajectory. So
I think this All Blacks team should be too good
for at Irish team, which is probably on the come
down from where they were in twenty twenty two to

(01:15):
twenty twenty three when they were considered one of, if
not the best team in the world. So look, I
think the All Blacks should be too good tomorrow night.
But I think it'll be close. Good lineup, yeah, I
think so, look at it. The All Blacks have made
a couple of changes. I'm unconvinced by two bo Y
moving to blind sode flankert. Dave Rennie wants a bit
more size there. It's never quite worked in the opportunities

(01:35):
that he's been given there previously. You're moving a lock
to fly on the blind side and it doesn't come
exactly naturally. But I can see why they want to
do it. They want to combat and try and pick
off the Irish line out and give them a bit
more size and options there on either the Bull or
the Irish Bull. And Josh Warby as we heard from there.
With Dave Renny very very good last week. He's good

(01:55):
under the high ball, doesn't mean Caleb Clarke on his
home turf means he have come off for the Ben
had a bit of impact later. But Josh Willey was
undeniable last week I thought against against the Italian, so
worthy of an opportunity. Otherwise, a pretty much a full
strength team by and large from Dave Rennie for this
game against Island who I'm missing a couple of players themselves,
but look, I think by and large the All Blacks

(02:17):
have picked a pretty strong side for this one.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Hey Raising used to have a bit of a problem
with the end bit of the game, Rennie seems to
be the first bit of the game. Are we going
to sort that out?

Speaker 3 (02:25):
I think you would be good, wouldn't it? First two
weeks of Dave Rennie's senior considered an early try in
the first two or three minutes. I thought that out
along with the tmos you mentioned earlier in the week, Ryan,
and we might be flying from the All Black. So
there's been positive signs in the first couple of weeks.
Last week was maybe a tiny we step backwards from
France and christ Church. But I think Bill Blacks will click.

(02:46):
They really love playing at Eden Park and try to
make it, you know, not the fear of losing the record,
but embracing what it means to play there. They get
everything right, it clicks. Hopefully the All Blacks win and
win well.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
Tomorrow night, good stuff, Elliott Elliot Smith News Talk Zimby's
Voice of Rugby that's on ZIDB Saturday.

Speaker 3 (03:04):
For more from Early edition with Ryan Bridge, Listen live
to News Talk z it B from five am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.