All Blacks v Ireland: Rivalry in Numbers
Nations Championship Showdown at Eden Park
Both sides enter the blockbuster unbeaten in the new competition, with New Zealand overcoming France and Italy, while Ireland edged Australia 33-31 before defeating Japan 36-20. With valuable championship points and the All Blacks’ long unbeaten record at Eden Park on the line, the stage is set for another major chapter in one of international rugby’s most compelling modern rivalries.
39 Tests
The All Blacks and Ireland have met in 39 Tests since their rivalry began more than 120 years ago. New Zealand have won 33 of those encounters, Ireland have won five and one match has ended in a draw.
1905
The first Test between the nations was played at Lansdowne Road in Dublin on 25 November 1905. The Originals, New Zealand’s first touring team to Europe and North America, claimed a 15-0 victory.
111 years
Ireland had to wait 111 years for their first victory over the All Blacks. That breakthrough arrived at Soldier Field in Chicago on 5 November 2016, when Ireland produced a historic 40-29 win.
WATCH: Highlights of the last clash between the All Blacks and Ireland in Chicago
Ireland’s Rise Against the All Blacks
A modern rivalry
The rivalry has become significantly tighter in the modern era. Ireland and New Zealand shared five wins apiece across the 10 Tests played between Ireland’s breakthrough victory in 2016 and their meeting in Dublin in 2024. The All Blacks edged ahead in that period with a 26-13 victory when the sides returned to Soldier Field in November 2025.
1,090 points
The All Blacks have scored 1,090 points across their 39 Tests against Ireland. Ireland have accumulated 542 points against New Zealand.
60 points
New Zealand’s largest victory over Ireland came in Hamilton in 2012. The All Blacks ran in nine tries during a 60-0 victory, completing a 3-0 series sweep and recording their biggest winning margin in the rivalry.
40 points
Ireland’s highest score against the All Blacks remains the 40 points they registered in their historic Chicago triumph in 2016. It is also Ireland’s largest winning margin against New Zealand, with the 40-29 result producing an 11-point difference.
One draw
Only one of the previous 39 Tests has finished level. The sides played out a 10-10 draw at Lansdowne Road in Dublin in January 1973.
2022
Ireland became the first side in the professional era to win a Test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand. After losing the opening Test in Auckland, Ireland won 23-12 in Dunedin before sealing the series with a 32-22 victory in Wellington.
WATCH: Relive the epic 2023 Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final clash between the All Blacks and Ireland
All Blacks v Ireland at the Rugby World Cup
Two Rugby World Cup quarter-finals
The sides have met twice in the knockout stages of the Rugby World Cup, with the All Blacks winning on both occasions. New Zealand prevailed 46-14 in Tokyo in 2019 before ending Ireland’s 17-Test winning streak with a gripping 28-24 quarter-final victory in Paris four years later.
78,845 spectators
The 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final attracted the largest crowd in the history of the rivalry. A total of 78,845 spectators packed into Stade de France for the four-point thriller.
26-13
The All Blacks won the most recent meeting between the teams 26-13 at Soldier Field in Chicago on 1 November 2025. New Zealand overturned a 13-7 halftime deficit and kept Ireland scoreless during the second half.
18 July 2026
The next chapter will be written at Eden Park, where the All Blacks and Ireland complete their three-match July Nations Championship schedules. Both teams will arrive in Auckland with two wins from two and an opportunity to carry an unbeaten championship record into the November rounds.
WATCH: The day Ireland pushed the All Blacks to the brink in Dunedin
The All Blacks take on Ireland at 7.10pm NZT on Saturday, 18 July at Eden Park. Watch live on Sky Sport NZ and follow the Match Centre for live updates, stats, team lists and more.
