Brodie Retallick has won the vote to start in the second-row for New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final against South Africa.
Retallick comes in for Sam Whitelock in the only change from the All Blacks side that overpowered Argentina 44-6 in the semi-final last Friday.
Whitelock replaced Retallick against Argentina but now moves to the bench for Saturday’s final at the Stade de France in Paris.
The 35-year-old Whitelock will become the first man to play in three World Cup finals, should he come off the bench.
Tight-head prop Nepo Laulala replaces Fletcher Newell on the All Blacks bench.
Brothers Scott, Jordie and Beauden Barrett all feature in the starting XV, which openside flanker Sam Cane captains.
The All Blacks, like South Africa, are chasing a record fourth title after triumphs in 1987, 2011 and 2015.
Jos Buttler accepted his future as England captain was out of his hands after another painful defeat sent his side tumbling towards the World Cup exit door.
England knew nothing less than victory over Sri Lanka would be enough to keep alive their fading hopes of reaching the semi-finals and they responded with arguably their worst performance yet in a campaign littered with low points.
After choosing to bat first, they were skittled for a meagre 156 in 33.2 overs, then watched as their opponents cantered home by eight wickets in Bangalore with almost half of the innings unused.
The thrashing, which followed heavy losses to New Zealand, Afghanistan and South Africa, left the reigning champions ninth in the standings with an eye-watering net run-rate.
With four games to go – including table-topping India and bitter rivals Australia – they are being kept off bottom spot by the only associate nation at the competition, the Netherlands.
Remarkably, England are not yet mathematically out with four games to play, but the route is fanciful in the extreme and Buttler acknowledged the game was up.
“It certainly looks that way and that’s incredibly disappointing. It would need a few miracles,” he said, glassy-eyed after another draining day.
“You get on the plane with high hopes and a lot of confidence and belief that we can challenge for the title, so to be sat here now with the three weeks we’ve had is a shock. It’s a shock to everyone.
“I’ll walk back in the dressing room after this, look at the players sat there and think ‘how have we found ourselves in this position with the talent and the skill that’s in the room’?
“But it is the position we’re in, it’s the reality of what’s happened over the last three weeks and that’s a huge low point.”
Pressed on his own status in charge of the side Buttler indicated a desire to continue but a realisation that the verdict may not be his to make.
In reality, England do not have an obvious successor lined up and Buttler is relatively new in the role, having inherited the mantle following Eoin Morgan’s retirement last summer.
He also has a T20 World Cup win in the bank and there has been no indication that managing director of the men’s cricket, Rob Key, has an itchy trigger finger.
“I think you’re always questioning as captain how you can get the best out of players, how you can get the team moving in the right direction,” Buttler admitted.
“I certainly have a lot of confidence and belief in myself as a leader and captain and first and foremost as a player, but if you’re asking if I should still be captaining the team, that’s a question for the guys above me.
“The tournament’s gone nowhere near the way we wanted it to…that much is obvious. As a leader, you want to lead through your own performance and I’ve not been able to do that.”
Head coach Matthew Mott joined Buttler in writing off the chances of sneaking through to the last four, telling BBC Sport: “Yeah, it’s over now, I think.
“I’m not a mathematician, but with our net run-rate and too many teams who are going to take games off each other, we have to come to terms with that. From now we’re playing for a lot of pride.
“We feel like we’ve let our fans down, our families and supporters and everyone in that dressing room, we haven’t put our best foot forward and in professional sport, that’s what you’re judged on.”
Will Jordan would happily sacrifice his place in the history books if it means New Zealand lift the World Cup for an unprecedented fourth time.
Jordan claimed a hat-trick of tries in Friday’s 44-6 semi-final rampage against Argentina in Paris, making him the deadliest finisher at France 2023 on eight touch downs.
It also placed him in the company of all time-greats Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana and Julian Savea, who jointly hold the record for highest number of tries scored at a single World Cup.
The 25-year-old has Saturday’s final against either England or South Africa to rise above that exalted trio, but he insists chasing individual glory is a peripheral concern.
“The World Cup win is what we all came over here to do. I will be perfectly happy to take a zero on the scoresheet if it means we get the job done,” Jordan said.
“It’s a team game and the group is really focused at the moment around what we want to do. Hopefully I can play my part in that.
“It is pretty humbling to be included alongside those guys. They were all huge legends of the game and, particularly in the position I play, really trail-blazed the way to play the game as a winger. So that’s pretty cool.
“It definitely wasn’t anything I set out to do or anything like that, but it’s nice to be able to do that in amongst the team going so well.”
It was almost the perfect night for New Zealand at the Stade de France as they swatted aside Argentina as if it was an exhibition match, rested legs by emptying the entire bench and finished without any cards or suspensions.
The Pumas, meanwhile, will play in the bronze final on Friday with assistant coach Juan Fernandez Lobbe adamant that it is a game with meaning.
“The disappointment is very, very big. We came to want to play in the final and we couldn’t,” former Argentina forward Lobbe said.
“The team is very clear – and they made it clear after the semi-final – that finishing with a medal is important.
“I finished in third place in 2007 and fourth in 2015 and they are not the same. So it’s a very important game.
“It means going on Friday with total determination, with our way, our weapons. It would be a very good closing of the World Cup for us.”
New Zealand boss Ian Foster plans to enjoy a bowl of popcorn while watching England’s blockbuster with South Africa after his side eased into the Rugby World Cup final by dispatching Argentina.
Foster can put his feet up for Saturday evening’s colossal semi-final clash between Steve Borthwick’s men and the Springboks thanks to a crushing 44-6 success over Los Pumas in Paris.
The 58-year-old expects an “interesting contrast of styles” in the other last-four fixture and is not bothered who the All Blacks face in next week’s showpiece match at Stade de France.
New Zealand barely broke sweat in booking an unprecedented fifth World Cup final appearance and now have the luxury of an extra day’s rest as they await the identity of their ultimate opponents.
“I’ll be watching it,” said Foster. “I’ll probably have some popcorn and sit there and watch it and I don’t care who wins. We’re very much in a focus-about-ourselves stage.
“One thing that extra day does give us, it gives us a bit of a chance to have a break mentally and not to spend too much juice worrying about if it’s them, if it’s them.
“They’re both good teams. South Africa have been playing some brilliant rugby the last few weeks and are clearly on top of their game.
“But we’ve also seen an English side that just build away quietly and are probably starting to understand how they want to play and they’re starting to get really good at how they want to play and believe in that.
“It will be an interesting contrast of styles.”
All Blacks wing Will Jordan ran in a hat-trick during the seven-try rout in Saint-Denis to lift him above France’s Damian Penaud as the World Cup’s leading try scorer on eight.
The treble also saw the 25-year-old equal the record for tries in a single tournament, putting him alongside Jonah Lomu, Bryan Habana and Julian Savea.
Foster was able to empty his bench long before the full-time whistle due to the emphatic scoreline and opted to keep the sin-binned Scott Barrett on the sidelines for around five minutes longer than required as the Kiwis finished with 14 men.
Asked if those situations could prove advantageous moving towards the final, Foster said: “I don’t think they’ll make a massive difference.
“Finals are finals and whoever we play, they’ll be a hundred per cent.
“It was an opportunity for us to make sure that we looked after our resources as best we could.
“We really didn’t see a need of putting Scooter (Barrett) back on, only from the perspective that if he had another little yellow card incident in the next five minutes, it might have made it a little bit niggly.”
Argentina were a shadow of the side who stunned Wales in the last eight.
A pair of first-half Emiliano Boffelli penalties was all they could muster.
Shannon Frizell’s double, plus further tries from Jordie Barrett and Aaron Smith, added to their punishment.
Los Pumas head coach Michael Cheika felt New Zealand ruthlessly exploited each of his team’s errors and was unhappy with some of the refereeing, particularly during first-half rucks.
The Australian promised his players will respond to a difficult outing in the bronze-medal match.
“It’s not a sad moment; it’s a moment when I’m actually proud of my team,” he said.
“It’s not an easy path that we’ve been on. We’ve invested ourselves a lot in this. But we’ve lost on details. I’m sad for them.
“It’s hard but its a good thing it’s hard. On Friday, we will be there, have no doubt. We will not leave this way.
“We want to finish third. We’ve got things we want to show in the bronze final. Right now, we’re hurting.”
Head coach Ian Foster has warned New Zealand the past counts for nothing as they head into their World Cup semi-final against Argentina as overwhelming favourites.
The three-time champions have lost just two of 36 matches against Los Pumas and are widely expected to prevail again in Friday’s crunch clash at the Stade de France in Paris.
“There are two teams in the semi-final – anyone can win,” said the All Blacks boss. “That’s the first mindset both teams have.
“We are massively respectful of Argentina. We know that they have had a great tournament.
“We don’t live in the past in terms of results. Rugby World Cup tournaments are really about the present. It’s about the best team on the night.
“If you go into a World Cup semi-final with any expectation that the past is going to happen again, you have got problems.”
Foster has made two changes to his side following the hard-fought 28-24 quarter-final win over Ireland, with Samuel Whitelock coming into the second row and Mark Telea starting on the left wing.
Foster said: “We’ve been really impressed with Argentina. We’re playing a team that we know scrap and fight for every little bit of possession. We are going to have to be at our best.”
Argentina overcame a 10-point deficit to beat Wales last weekend and reach the semi-finals for a third time.
Coach Michael Cheika has recalled Gonzalo Bertranou at scrum-half in his one change to the line-up.
“The history is not in our favour, but it is up to us to change that,” said Cheika, who oversaw a famous win over the All Blacks in Christchurch last year.
“We have a chance to on Friday and we will be ready. When we arrive on the field we will do what we do best.”
Head coach Ian Foster has warned New Zealand the past counts for nothing as they head into their World Cup semi-final against Argentina as overwhelming favourites.
The three-time champions have lost just two of 36 matches against Los Pumas and are widely expected to prevail again in Friday’s crunch clash at the Stade de France in Paris.
“There are two teams in the semi-final – anyone can win,” said the All Blacks boss. “That’s the first mindset both teams have.
“We are massively respectful of Argentina. We know that they have had a great tournament.
“We don’t live in the past in terms of results. Rugby World Cup tournaments are really about the present. It’s about the best team on the night.
“If you go into a World Cup semi-final with any expectation that the past is going to happen again, you have got problems.”
Foster has made two changes to his side following the hard-fought 28-24 quarter-final win over Ireland, with Samuel Whitelock coming into the second row and Mark Telea starting on the left wing.
Foster said: “We’ve been really impressed with Argentina. We’re playing a team that we know scrap and fight for every little bit of possession. We are going to have to be at our best.”
Argentina overcame a 10-point deficit to beat Wales last weekend and reach the semi-finals for a third time.
Coach Michael Cheika has recalled Gonzalo Bertranou at scrum-half in his one change to the line-up.
“The history is not in our favour, but it is up to us to change that,” said Cheika, who oversaw a famous win over the All Blacks in Christchurch last year.
“We have a chance to on Friday and we will be ready. When we arrive on the field we will do what we do best.”
New Zealand boss Ian Foster has warned his players “not to get softened” by the acclaim which followed their thrilling World Cup win over Ireland ahead of a semi-final showdown with Argentina.
The All Blacks booked a last-four spot by upsetting Andy Farrell’s men with a pulsating 28-24 victory in Paris.
New Zealand return to Stade de France on Friday evening and are red-hot favourites to progress to a final against either England or reigning champions South Africa.
Head coach Foster feels “being patted on the back” following a statement last-eight victory over the Irish derailed the Kiwis in the 2019 tournament and is eager to avoid history repeating itself.
“The best way to recover is to refocus really quickly on what the next challenge is and not to listen too much to any praise you’re given as a group for a performance,” said Foster, who was assistant to Steve Hansen four years ago when New Zealand lost to England in the semi-finals.
“Not to go down that path, not to get softened because everyone’s patting you on the back saying you played well.
“That’s not a good place to be as a team.
“I love the way the team has buckled down, we’ve redefined the challenge for us as a group, we’re not satisfied with where we are now and when you’re clear about your goal for the week the recovery comes along pretty quickly.
“You know that if we’re not right on Friday night at Stade de France, it’s going to be a sad old night and we don’t want it to be like that.
“You get people talking to you about tomorrow and trying to take your eyes off today.
“In 2019 we probably didn’t stop being patted on the back after the quarter-final, hence some of my language today and we’re just trying to dial this back, keep things simple and let’s just worry about Friday.”
New Zealand’s starting XV shows two changes, with wing Mark Telea and lock Sam Whitelock in for Leicester Fainga’anuku and Brodie Retallick.
Telea was dropped for last weekend’s clash with Ireland due to a breach of team protocols.
Foster says the 26-year-old, who has scored three tries in the tournament, has served his punishment.
“That’s the team we think is best for this week,” he said.
“Mark’s done his time. He made a mistake, he accepted what was happening.
“But you don’t linger in that space. He’s been our form winger through this tournament and we really have a lot of faith in him and believe he’s in a good place to play this game.
“It’s a chance for us to get Mark back on the park and I know he’s excited.”
Underdogs Argentina have won two of the past seven meetings between the nations, including a landmark first success on New Zealand soil – 25-18 in Christchurch – in last year’s Rugby Championship.
Foster is braced for a “heck of a game”.
“You’ve never heard us say we’re favourites,” he said. “We know that these games are do-or-die.
“It’s the best team on the night that wins it. We know Argentina has done that to us. We’re not buying into anything about favouritism or underdogs.
“They are perhaps an underrated team worldwide that has got a really rich history of perhaps overachieving at World Cups.
“They have done a fantastic job to get here at the same level as we are. It’s going to be a heck of a game.”
Ireland face New Zealand in Paris seeking to reach a maiden semi-final at the Rugby World Cup.
Andy Farrell’s men go into Saturday’s last-eight clash on a remarkable 17-match winning run but face a formidable challenge in the form of the three-time world champions.
Here, the PA news agency highlights some of the major talking points.
Banishing the quarter-final curse
Ireland have topped the world rankings for 15 months and are favourites for the mouth-watering Stade de France showdown. Yet the Irish have never won a World Cup knockout match. Seven times previously they have reached the last eight of the tournament and seven times they have been sent home. The last of those early exits came at the hands of the All Blacks four years ago. Ireland have improved markedly since then and have far greater mental resolve. Farrell’s in-form side will equal the record for consecutive Test wins by a tier one nation (18) by banishing the quarter-final curse. However, standing in their way is one of the toughest challenges in world rugby.
All Blacks out for revenge
Ireland had to wait 111 years for a first Test win over New Zealand. But, having done so in memorable fashion in Chicago seven years ago, the Irish now hold the upper hand in terms of recent meetings. Farrell masterminded a stunning 2-1 tour success over the All Blacks last summer and the stage is set for another unforgettable encounter. New Zealand are not used to losing on home soil and will be out for revenge. Kiwi full-back Beauden Barrett said: “There are a lot of us who are pretty keen to get one up on them and still we’re hurting from what happened last year.” Ireland’s quest will be aided by the backing of tens of thousands of travelling fans.
About Schmidt
An intriguing sub-plot is the presence of former Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt in the Kiwi camp. The 58-year-old led Ireland into the last two World Cups before joining his native country’s coaching team last summer after his six-year tenure was emphatically ended by the All Blacks in Tokyo in 2019. New Zealand coach Ian Foster outlined plans to tap into Schmidt’s extensive knowledge of the Irish. Yet veteran Ireland wing Keith Earls played down the merits of doing so, saying: “We genuinely don’t use any of the habits that Joe taught us.”
Return of the Mack
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Ireland were nursing a few concerning injury issues following a bruising Pool B finale against Scotland. Yet head coach Farrell has been able to name an unchanged starting XV. Mack Hansen looked to be a major doubt after sitting out training early in the week but took part in Friday’s captain’s run with a heavily-strapped right calf. Fellow wing James Lowe (eye) has also been passed fit. Only lock James Ryan, who sustained a wrist issue against the Scots, is missing from arguably Ireland’s strongest line-up. Lowe, meanwhile, is one of three New Zealand-born players in Ireland’s team, in addition to centre Bundee Aki and scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park.
Disciplinary disruption
New Zealand’s preparations have been disrupted by a disciplinary storm in the build-up to the clash. Star wing Mark Telea misses out after being dropped due to a breach of team protocol. Foster insisted the issue was “nothing major” but still felt compelled to punish a player whose emergence on the international scene has been central to the All Blacks’ improvement since their series defeat to Ireland last July. Telea, who is believed to have broken a curfew, has three tries in the tournament, including a double in the opening-night defeat to hosts France. Leicester Fainga’anuku is the man to benefit after claiming a hat-trick in the Pool A thrashing of Uruguay.
Caelan Doris says attempting to send Johnny Sexton into retirement as a world champion is adding to Ireland’s motivation ahead of a mouthwatering quarter-final against New Zealand.
Influential captain Sexton is due to call time on his distinguished career following the Rugby World Cup in France, meaning any match now could be his last.
The 38-year-old fly-half used his personal situation to help fire up his team ahead of last weekend’s pivotal Pool B win over Scotland in Paris.
Ireland are back at Stade de France for a quarter-final showdown with the All Blacks on Saturday evening and number eight Doris acknowledges ‘doing it for Johnny’ is part of the squad’s thinking.
“Yeah, it is,” said the 25-year-old, who was sitting alongside Leinster team-mate Dan Sheehan.
“Even last week, building into Scotland, there was a chance that could be his last ever game, he said that to us as a group. And what an unbelievable player and leader he’s been for Ireland for so many years.
“I think all the players will agree that the standards he sets raise everyone else’s game and he’s almost like having another coach on the pitch.
“He seems to have a bird’s-eye view, he seems to see everything regardless of where you were and catches any mistake.
“You can’t get away with anything with him around, which is obviously a good thing for the most part, except when he’s shouting at you for those few seconds.
“He definitely brings us to another level.
“The way he prepares for a game, he absolutely loves the game and puts everything into it, he’s the utmost professional and he’s been a great role model for the two of us.”
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Ireland have won three of four meetings with New Zealand during the reign of head coach Andy Farrell, including last summer’s historic 2-1 tour success.
However, the Irish were thrashed 46-14 by the All Blacks at the same stage of the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
With plenty on the line this weekend, suggestions of a spying scandal were downplayed after a photographer, who has been working on behalf of the Irish Rugby Football Union, attended a New Zealand training session open to members of the media.
Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt was unaware of the incident on Thursday when questioned, before World Rugby’s media operations manager Greg Thomas cut in.
“The rules say yes (it is allowed), as long as they’re standing with the rest of the photographers, they can,” said Thomas, who was chairing the press conference.
Mack Hansen took part in Ireland’s captain’s run in the French capital on Friday morning after sitting out training earlier in the week due to a calf issue sustained against the Scots.
Catt insists the Australia-born wing, whose right leg was heavily strapped, is fit and ready to start, while James Ryan (wrist) and Robbie Henshaw (hamstring) could return to contention at the semi-final stage.
Ireland are favourites for what is expected to be a tight and tense affair against the All Blacks.
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Catt says the team have contemplated the prospect of extra-time, which could be followed by 10 minutes of sudden death, and joked that a handful of forwards would be selected in the unlikely event of a kicking competition.
“We have spoken about it,” he said. “The players know who they are: Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Beirne! They’ve definitely put in an extra couple hours of kicking!
“It’s one of those that players are aware of it. It’s a long way to get to that situation.
“You’d like to think in the golden point (sudden death) in 10 minutes one side would take their opportunity and take points.
“The players who are on the pitch know who they are and fingers crossed we put them through the middle.”
Marseille and Paris take centre stage when the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals unfold on Saturday and Sunday.
Four intriguing contests see Ireland meeting New Zealand and France tackling reigning world champions South Africa at Stade de France, while Marseille plays host to Wales against Argentina and England taking on Fiji.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the key quarter-final talking points.
Warren Gatland has worked his magic
After Wales won a solitary game during last season’s Six Nations, any prospect of them becoming World Cup semi-finalists seven months later could have been described as fanciful in the extreme. But head coach Warren Gatland has come up trumps once again in his second stint at the helm, transforming Wales through an unbeaten four-match run in their pool, collecting 19 points out of a possible 20 and going into Saturday’s clash against the Pumas as firm favourites. It would be Wales’ third semi-final appearance in the last four World Cup campaigns under Gatland if they get there, and Argentina have their work cut out to stop them, especially given patchy form during the group phase when they qualified as Pool D runners-up behind England.
In-form Ireland to banish last-eight curse?
Ireland have topped the world rankings for 15 months and are favourites for Saturday’s mouthwatering Paris showdown with three-time world champions New Zealand. Yet the Irish have never won a World Cup knockout match. Seven times previously they have reached the last eight of the tournament and seven times they have been sent home. The last of those early exits came at the hands of the formidable All Blacks four years ago. Head coach Andy Farrell has masterminded three wins from four meetings since that 46-14 hammering in Tokyo, including a historic tour triumph on New Zealand soil last summer, and instilled great mental resolve in his players. His team will equal the record for consecutive Test wins by a tier one nation (18) by banishing Ireland’s quarter-final curse. However, standing in their way is one of the toughest challenges in world rugby and an All Blacks side intent on revenge.
Pantomime villains England
It will be akin to shooting Bambi if England are to reach the semi-finals due to Fiji’s status as darlings of the World Cup, willed on by neutrals who desire the fairy-tale scenario of a Pacific Islands team progressing into the latter stages of the tournament. Number eight Billy Vunipola has acknowledged his side are “public enemy number one”, but points out that historical anti-English sentiment means they are well versed in fighting against popular opinion. On the favourites’ side is that the vast numbers of red rose fans who have followed their team in France will turn the Stade Velodrome into a home ground. Fiji, after pushing Wales to the limit in their opening match, have struggled to regain such fluency and it could prove a game too far for them.
French flair or Springboks power?
The second of the weekend’s two box-office Paris quarter-finals pits the expectant hosts against the defending champions. Whoever prevails on Sunday will view it as a huge obstacle overcome in their quest to win the tournament. France will have the backing of a frenzied home support sensing an opportunity for their team to claim the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time. Les Bleus have not lost on home soil since Scotland defeated them in Paris behind closed doors in a Six Nations match two-and-a-half years ago. The Springboks – chasing World Cup glory for a fourth time – entered the tournament in scintillating form and began with an impressively comfortable win over Scotland before their momentum was halted slightly by a narrow loss to Ireland in their penultimate pool match. The contrast of French flair and the ferocious physicality of South Africa promises to deliver an epic contest to conclude the weekend spectacular.
Conor Murray believes New Zealand’s loss is Ireland’s gain as “world-class” trio Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Lowe bid to give their native country serious cause for regret.
Centre Aki, scrum-half Gibson-Park and wing Lowe will face the All Blacks at the Rugby World Cup for the first time after being selected to start Saturday’s quarter-final showdown in Paris.
The three New Zealand-born backs qualified for Ireland on residency grounds and have become key performers for Andy Farrell’s side, including helping secure a landmark tour success over the Kiwis last summer.
Murray expects their personal circumstances to provide an extra edge to their performances at Stade de France.
“Those three boys are so important to our squad,” he said.
“What they did, taking the chance to come over here and start a new life for themselves and prove themselves, all three of them have really done so.
“They’re three world-class players who we’re really going to rely on heavily and have performed unbelievably well in this competition.
“It hasn’t really been mentioned, the New Zealand thing. They’re part of our Irish team now and they’re really important to us.
“I’m sure there’s a part of them, that little bit extra that they want to get one over on their place of birth but they’re fully part of our Irish squad now.”
Gibson-Park and Lowe each represented the Maori All Blacks prior to their respective moves to Leinster, before winning maiden Ireland caps in 2020.
Connacht player Aki made his Ireland debut in 2017 but missed Ireland’s last-eight World Cup loss to New Zealand in 2019 through suspension.
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The 33-year-old, who four years ago was sent off against Samoa – his parents’ native country, has been one of the standout performers in France.
“I hate saying it but he’s been playing the rugby of his life,” Murray, who lost his starting role to Gibson-Park, said of Aki.
“He can come across as a bit of a messer or jolly fella but behind the scenes Bundee is incredible.
“The level of detail, he’s always on the computers and always trying to figure things out, so he’s actually a smart fella, believe it or not.”
Ireland’s tens of thousands of travelling fans celebrated each of their Pool B wins with rousing renditions of ‘Zombie’ by Irish band The Cranberries.
“Bundee thinks they’re singing ‘Bundee, Bundee’,” Murray added. “They’re definitely not!”
Munster number nine Murray has 111 Ireland caps, is a veteran of three British and Irish Lions tours and is playing at his fourth World Cup.
The 34-year-old, who will begin on the bench against the All Blacks, is preparing for the biggest game of his career as his country strive to reach a maiden semi-final.
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“It would mean everything,” he said. “On the outside it’s obviously a talking point that we’ve never got there and within the group we think this is a different team and the capabilities are different.
“This weekend is the biggest game I’ve ever played and it’s the same for everyone in the group.
“To get through that would be a huge, huge moment; a huge milestone.
“Breaking the quarter-final isn’t something we talk about. But with the special group we have, it’s something we’re chasing and would absolutely love to do for ourselves and the fans here and at home.
“I can’t get away from how hard it’s going to be, how difficult a task it is, but it would mean the world to all of us to get to that next stage.”
Murray has lined up 14 times against New Zealand for Ireland and the Lions.
He has scored four tries across those outings, including in his nation’s maiden success over the All Blacks in 2016 in Chicago.
“I’ve played against the All Blacks where we’ve beaten them, but when we play (again) they’re a completely different animal,” he said.
“When I started off my international career playing against New Zealand was really daunting and it still is, but did we really expect to beat them is questionable, whereas now there’s definitely a bit more belief.”
In-form Ireland face three-time champions New Zealand seeking to improve their wretched quarter-final record at the Rugby World Cup.
The Irish are through to the last eight of the competition for the eighth time but have never progressed beyond it.
Here, the PA news agency looks back on Ireland’s last five quarter-final matches.
France 36 Ireland 12 (Durban, 1995)
Following successive last-eight exits to Australia in the first two editions of the tournament, Ireland suffered a similar fate at the hands of France.
Twenty-six points from the boot of Thierry Lacroix, plus tries from Philippe Saint-Andre and Emile Ntamack, did the damage.
Eric Elwood’s four penalties were insufficient for Gerry Murphy’s men.
France 43 Ireland 21 (Melbourne, 2003)
Ireland lost a quarter-final play-off to Argentina in 1999 before suffering more last-eight frustration against France four years later.
Les Bleus initially claimed four unanswered tries before Kevin Maggs’ score and two from Brian O’Driscoll salvaged some pride.
Frederic Michalak also kicked 23 points for the dominant French, who were beaten by eventual champions England in the semi-finals.
Ireland 10 Wales 22 (Wellington, 2011)
Ireland, who suffered pool-stage elimination in 2007, topped Pool C ahead of Australia before crashing out to their Six Nations rivals.
Declan Kidney’s side were level at 10-10 early in the second period after Keith Earls’ try and five points from Ronan O’Gara wiped out Wales’ lead.
But the Irish were second best and had no answer to decisive scores from Mike Phillips and Jonathan Davies.
Ireland 20 Argentina 43 (Cardiff, 2015)
Injury-ravaged Ireland were savaged by the Pumas.
Without influential performers Paul O’Connell, Johnny Sexton, Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien and Jared Payne, the stunned Irish trailed 17-0 inside 13 minutes.
Tries from Luke Fitzgerald and Jordi Murphy cut the deficit to just three points but four-try Argentina emphatically prevented a fight back to claim a famous win.
New Zealand 46 Ireland 14 (Tokyo, 2019)
Optimism was high ahead of Ireland’s trip to Japan four years ago. Yet head coach Joe Schmidt endured a torrid farewell as his side were ripped apart by the reigning champions.
The merciless All Blacks ran in seven tries on a punishing evening for their error-strewn opponents.
Robbie Henshaw’s score and a penalty try were scant consolation as Ireland suffered their heaviest World Cup loss.
Ireland will take on three-time champions New Zealand on Saturday evening in a crunch Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Paris.
The Irish had to wait 111 years for a first Test victory over the All Blacks but have had the upper hand recently by winning four of the last six meetings.
Here, the PA news agency picks out some memorable recent matches between the two nations.
New Zealand 60 Ireland 0 (Hamilton, 2012)
An unforgettable match for all the wrong reasons from an Irish perspective.
A maiden win over the All Blacks seemed a million miles away just over a decade ago following the country’s record defeat on a humiliating evening.
Ruthless New Zealand wrapped up a 3-0 series success with a nine-try demolition of an Ireland team containing current squad members Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray, Keith Earls and Peter O’Mahony.
Present-day Kiwi captain Sam Cane claimed two of the reigning world champions’ scores as Declan Kidney’s men were sent home embarrassed.
Ireland 22 New Zealand 24 (Dublin, 2013)
Aaron Cruden completed a remarkable comeback for record-breaking New Zealand by slotting a retaken conversion with the final act of a heartbreaking afternoon for the hosts.
Ireland were moments away from a milestone win after Rob Kearney’s 80-metre dash helped them lead 19-0 inside 18 minutes.
But, with the clock in the 82nd minute, Ryan Crotty’s try levelled matters.
Cruden then silenced a stunned Aviva Stadium by slotting the extras at the second attempt as the All Blacks became the first Test side in the professional era to achieve a 100 per cent record in a calendar year.
Ireland 40 New Zealand 29 (Chicago, 2016)
Ireland’s class of 2016 produced fireworks at Soldier Field on Bonfire Night to stamp their names into the history books with a landmark first triumph over the All Blacks at the 29th attempt.
Tries from Jordi Murphy, CJ Stander and Conor Murray gave Joe Schmidt’s side a commanding half-time advantage.
Simon Zebo’s score stretched the lead to 30-8 before Robbie Henshaw completed the job after the All Blacks, seeking a 19th straight win, threatened another stunning fightback by closing the gap to just four points.
Ireland 16 New Zealand 9 (Dublin, 2018)
Ireland laid down a marker ahead of the 2019 World Cup by beating the All Blacks on home soil for the first time.
Jacob Stockdale’s superb chip-and-gather try decided an absorbing contest between Test rugby’s top two sides.
Fly-half Sexton advanced his claims for the world player of the year award, which he went on to win, with the rest of his nation’s points, while Beauden Barrett’s boot kept the Kiwis in contention.
Steve Hansen’s side may have come off second best but they gained revenge 11 months later on the biggest stage in Tokyo with a thumping 46-14 quarter-final win.
New Zealand 22 Ireland 32 (Wellington, 2022)
A week on from a maiden victory over the All Blacks on New Zealand soil – 23-12 in Dunedin – Ireland made more history by wrapping up a stunning series success to climb to the top of the world rankings.
Andy Farrell’s men raced into a 19-point half-time lead in an epic encounter courtesy of tries from Josh van der Flier, Hugo Keenan and Henshaw.
The All Blacks closed to within three points in a frenetic second period before Rob Herring extinguished a Kiwi fightback to seal arguably Ireland’s finest result.
Andy Farrell believes in-form World Cup hopefuls Ireland were previously plagued by an “inferiority complex”.
Test rugby’s top-ranked nation will bid to make history against New Zealand in Paris on Saturday evening by becoming the first Irish team to progress to the semi-finals of the competition.
Head coach Farrell was assistant to Joe Schmidt when Ireland went into the 2019 tournament as the sport’s number one country only to suffer a humiliating last-eight stuffing at the hands of the formidable All Blacks.
The Englishman, who has masterminded 17 successive wins, feels Ireland are becoming better at handling the pressure of having a target on their back and must continue to do so in order to emulate the sustained success of the Kiwis.
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“I suppose an inferiority complex is what’s happened in the past as far as getting to world number one and thinking that we’re going to fall off a cliff because this shouldn’t be happening to Ireland,” said Farrell.
“But what we’ve learnt to do is throw ourselves into big challenges and try to meet them head on and embrace that.
“We don’t want to be second best, we want to be first best. But we also realise what comes with that, that people are always chasing you hard down.
“You’ve seen with the All Blacks over the last 20 years – that’s why they’re so respected because it’s very hard to stay at the top.
“The guys that are the favourites are the ones I’ve always looked at throughout my career and envied really because of how hard it is to do that.
“That’s the place we want to be because if you’re serious about getting better and being the team that you want to be, that’s the world that you’ve got to live in.”
While New Zealand are three-time world champions, Ireland have repeatedly fallen at the quarter-final hurdle.
The Six Nations champions were full of optimism going into the same stage four years ago before crashing out 46-14 to the All Blacks in Tokyo.
Farrell has committed time and effort to improving the mental resilience of his players and says they must remember Ireland are a “bloody good team” if they suffer performance anxiety this weekend at Stade de France.
“It’s another big game in front of us,” said the 48-year-old, who led his side to a historic tour success in New Zealand last summer.
“At this stage, it’s all about preparation and recovery and making sure there’s an ownership of the plan that you’re going to try and apply on the opposition at the weekend.
“We immerse ourselves with that and that’s the only way it should be. Of course things start to creep in, but we’ve tools and experience to combat all that.
“The main part is to remember that we’re a bloody good team that play together and, when we do that, you’re not on your own, so you can get away from those type of thoughts.”
Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan is delighted to have “X-factor” wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe fit and ready to join him for a blockbuster World Cup quarter-final with the All Blacks.
Hansen appeared to be a major doubt for Saturday’s Stade de France clash after sitting out training on Tuesday and Wednesday due to a calf problem sustained in last weekend’s 36-14 win over Scotland.
Lowe has also overcome injury – an eye issue suffered against the Scots – to retain his starting role for the crunch meeting with his native New Zealand.
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Ireland ended their final Pool B fixture in unfamiliar fashion with a scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park on the left flank and centre Garry Ringrose on the right.
Head coach Andy Farrell has been able to name an unchanged starting XV for a titanic last-eight encounter, including a first-choice backline.
“Its brilliant,” said Keenan. “We finished the game with an interesting back three.
“Jamo did a brilliant job, didn’t he? He is such a creative player, so exciting, so he slotted in well on the wing.
“To have the two lads back again brings a bit of X-factor to the back three. I always enjoy playing with them so great news.”
Hansen on Tuesday watched from the stands at Ireland’s training base of Stade des Fauvettes in the northern outskirts of Paris and was again absent on Wednesday, while Lowe took part in both sessions.
Veteran Keith Earls was thought to be pushing for a first appearance since the opening weekend of the tournament before Farrell sprung a surprise with his team announcement.
Referring to Australia-born Hansen, the coach said: “Everyone is very confident that he’s going to be fine for the game.”
Ireland propelled themselves to the top of the world rankings courtesy of last summer’s landmark 2-1 tour success in New Zealand, in addition to launching their current run of 17 consecutive victories.
Farrell’s in-form side have enjoyed a growing rivalry with the All Blacks, winning three of four meetings during his tenure and four of six overall.
“We haven’t played them for over a year now,” said Keenan. “They will have improved massively.
“They will have taken the learnings from those games and they’ll come out gunning for us as well.”
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Lock Tadhg Beirne, who started all three Tests against New Zealand in 2022, feels there is a healthy respect between the two nations.
“Rugby is one of those games where, when you go on to the field, you go to beat the crap out of each other for 80 minutes and when you step off it, you’re very happy to grab a beer with your opposition number and enjoy the moments afterwards,” he said. “It’s no different with New Zealand.
“One thing I will remember from New Zealand is after the last Test, we had beaten them and we ran out of beer pretty quickly.
“The New Zealand squad were pretty quick to bring in their beer and leave us celebrating. That’s respect too, off-field respect.
“It will be no different on Saturday, we’re both going to go at it for 80 minutes and we’ll be very happy to walk in and have a beer in the changing room with them, for sure.”
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