Four Kildare men named as Ireland go in search of Eden Park history
Eadestown's Jimmy O’Brien will become just the fourth player - and the only back - to start all three of Ireland's games on the summer leg of the Nations Championship. Photo: INPHO/Ben Brady
Kildare quartet Tadhg Beirne, Sam Prendergast, Jimmy O'Brien and Jeremy Loughman will be part of the team early Saturday morning as Ireland look to make history away to New Zealand.
In 2022, Ireland beat New Zealand twice on back-to-back weekends in Dunedin and Wellington to become the first team since France in 1994 to win a test tour against the All Blacks on New Zealand soil.
Four years on and Ireland find themselves with a chance to make history once again in the land of the long white cloud.
France's tour-clinching victory over New Zealand in '94 came in Eden Park - which remains the last time the All Blacks have tasted defeat in the Auckland stadium.
In the 32 years since, New Zealand have played 12 different opponents across 52 games, winning 50 (including three times against Ireland) and drawing just twice - against South Africa, also in '94, and then the British and Irish Lions in 2017.
With history on the line, Tadhg Beirne will start in the back row alongside Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan, while Sam Prendergast returns to fly half where he will renew his partnership with Jamison Gibson-Park.
Jimmy O'Brien starts his third consecutive game for Ireland on the wing, this time switching to the left to facilitate the returning Robert Baloucoune.
Jeremy Loughman returns to the bench having missed the Japan game following a head injury in the opener against Australia.
Both Ireland and New Zealand are two wins from two heading into the game, although the All Blacks - having won all three of the previous meetings between the teams - are 5/1 favourites, while Andy Farrell's Ireland are 7/2 outsiders.
Hugo Keenan; Robert Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, Jimmy O'Brien; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Tom O'Toole, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Ronan Kelleher, Jeremy Loughman, Thomas Clarkson, Nick Timoney, Sean Jansen, Craig Casey, Ciaran Frawley, Bundee Aki.
