Martin Devlin: The All Blacks WON'T beat Ireland

Before we launch, this is a taste of what's to come on The DSPN. OPINION: The All Blacks are not beating Ireland this weekend, brace for it folks. And no I’m not being a negative nelly about this. We, very simply, at our best aren’t good enough to beat them at their best. Based on what you ask? Based on form, based on players, based on what we’ve seen throughout the year thus far, culminating in another worthy but hardly wildly impressive win over England last weekend. That game mirrored our entire season to date. Performance wise I gave us a B - good bits, some great bits, moments of sheer brilliance, and then, and it’s been so frustrating and annoying and consistently so throughout each of the nine major matches we’ve played in 2024. Too many errors, unnecessary infringements, bonehead cards and botched opportunities that if you want to be the best test rugby team in the world, you simply cannot afford. This is not a great All Black side. Not yet, not by a long shot. Three tries to one we outscored England. For the first time all year we also came back in the last quarter and did enough to reclaim the lead and clinch the game. Major pluses in our favour them both. But the margins are also so very fine. The Kiwis lost to Tonga by a field goal, the Poms in the last minute or two were a penalty hitting the upright followed by a failed drop kick from 20 metres away from a loss that would’ve dumped us straight back to where we were after getting dicked by the Argies in Wellington.  Ireland are a great side. 6 Nations champs, ranked above us in the world right now, they have also already achieved something this year which we couldn’t which was beat the Saffers in Africa. They are at home, ready, waiting, motivated and still scorned after last year’s World Cup quarter-final upset defeat. And it was an upset.  Yes we can win, of course we can. It’s a game of sport, nothing is set in stone. Will we though? I don’t believe so.  Yes the All Blacks are improving , we’re getting better. But yes, right now, Ireland are better.  What we saw, the way we played versus England won’t beat this side. Brace yourselves because this is what this season is… she’s a bumpy ride.