Well, now. How’s everyone?

Welcome to The 42′s live coverage of Ireland’s November Test against New Zealand at Soldier Field, Chicago.

Gavan Casey with you here, and I’ll bring you a blow-by-blow account of the game — or close enough to it — if you’re not in the Windy City or if you can’t make it to Virgin Media or TNT Sports tonight.

Nine years on from a seismic moment in Irish rugby history, Ireland and the All Blacks will do it again. There has been plenty of water under the bridge since, sure, but this has become a special fixture, each entry taking on a life of its own.

Strap in and enjoy. Team news coming shortly!

Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

So, just a reminder: Andy Farrell has named Stuart McCloskey and Ryan Baird in his starting XV.

Dan Sheehan will captain the team, with Farrell deciding to bring Caelan Doris back from injury off the bench. Jack Crowley has won the race to start at number 10.

22-year-old Leinster loosehead prop Paddy McCarthy is set for his Ireland debut from the bench.

Ulster man McCloskey partners Garry Ringrose in the Irish midfield, with Bundee Aki providing cover from the bench as Robbie Henshaw misses out on the matchday 23.

Ryan Baird. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

The All Blacks have made three changes to their starting lineup and four changes to their matchday 23 after their most recent Test, a 28-14 Rugby Championship victory over Australia in Perth.

Coming into their side is Beauden Barrett, who returns from a shoulder injury to start at out-half, with Damian McKenzie moved to the bench.

Caleb Clarke has recovered from his ankle injury to start on the left wing in place of Leicester Fainga’anuku.

The only change to Scott Robertson’s forward pack sees Ethan de Groot return from concussion to join Fletcher Newell and Codie Taylor in the starting front row, with Tamaiti Williams switching to the bench.

Among the replacements, lock Josh Lord replaces the injured Patrick Tuipulotu.

Beauden Barrett. Photosport / John Davidson/INPHO Photosport / John Davidson/INPHO / John Davidson/INPHO

Ireland

15.⁠ ⁠Jamie Osborne
14.⁠ ⁠Tommy O’Brien
13.⁠ ⁠Garry Ringrose
12.⁠ ⁠Stuart McCloskey
11.⁠ ⁠James Lowe
10.⁠ ⁠Jack Crowley
9.⁠ ⁠Jamison Gibson-Park

1.⁠ ⁠Andrew Porter
2.⁠ ⁠Dan Sheehan (captain)
3.⁠ ⁠Tadhg Furlong
4.⁠ ⁠James Ryan
5.⁠ ⁠Tadhg Beirne
6.⁠ ⁠Ryan Baird
7.⁠ ⁠Josh van der Flier
8.⁠ ⁠Jack Conan

Replacements:

16.⁠ ⁠Rónan Kelleher
17.⁠ ⁠Paddy McCarthy
18.⁠ ⁠Finlay Bealham
19.⁠ ⁠Iain Henderson
20.⁠ ⁠Caelan Doris
21.⁠ ⁠Craig Casey
22.⁠ ⁠Sam Prendergast
23.⁠ ⁠Bundee Aki

New Zealand

15. Will Jordan
14. Leroy Carter
13. Quinn Tupaea
12. Jordie Barrett
11. Caleb Clarke
10. Beauden Barrett
9. Cam Roigard

1. Ethan de Groot
2. Codie Taylor
3. Fletcher Newell
4. Scott Barrett (Captain)
5. Fabian Holland
6. Simon Parker
7. Ardie Savea
8. Peter Lakai

Referee: Pierre Brousset [FFR].

Who wins the rematch at Soldier Field?

Absolute #values from the two boss men, Andy Farrell and Razor Robertson.

Murray Kinsella is in Chicago — we’ll record a podcast for The 42 subscribers immediately after the game.

You can sign up for just a euro for your first month here, if you fancy it.

The two head coaches having a long chat.

Call it - who’s winning this game? pic.twitter.com/tU2NSX876p

— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) November 1, 2025

Ireland choose not to respond, instead lining up stoically and absorbing the All Blacks’ haka in a traditional sense.

No real response from the Irish crowd, either, who let New Zealand perform their preamble without much interference from the stands.

1′ – IRL 0-0 NZ: Jack Crowley gets us underway at Soldier Field, with Will Jordan collecting his kick-off and Cam Roigard clearing from inside his 22′ into touch. Good exit.

1′- IRL 0-0 NZ: Ireland knock on at the lineout after Roigard’s exit. New Zealand subsequently win a penalty and Beauden Barrett digs the Kiwis into Ireland’s 22′.

3′ – IRL 0-0 NZ: Both Beauden Barrett and Scott Barrett are down injured. Beauden seemed to take a high-ish shot from Tadhg Beirne, who braced himself for contact after Barrett took the ball incredibly flat to the line.

Ah, Beirne would be unlucky here, but the TMO is having a look — it won’t be more than a yellow, at worst.

Scott Barrett, meanwhile, has gone off — replaced by Josh Lord. That’s a serious blow for New Zealand.

3′ – IRL 0-0 NZ: Pierre Brousset is heading to sideline to have a proper look at this Beirne-Beauden Barrett incident.

It’s going to be a yellow for Beirne, realistically.

3′ – IRL 0-0 NZ: Beirne gets his inevitable 10 minutes and the All Blacks get a shot at Ireland in the maul just outside the Irish 22′.

4′ – IRL 0-0 NZ: Ryan Baird tries to compete at the lineout and Codie Taylor’s put-in is deemed not straight, somewhat harshly.

Ireland get the scrum just outside their own 5′ — and Jamison Gibson-Park bangs it to touch inside the All Blacks’ half.

6′ – IRL 0-0 NZ: Caleb Clarke scythes through a big gap and New Zealand spill it forward. But Brousset pulls it back for obstruction on Garry Ringrose, which opened the gap into which Clarke surged.

Ireland are going to kick from goal just inside the All Blacks’ half. They haven’t actually possessed the ball yet, but here’s a chance to take the lead.

7′ – IRL 3-0 NZ: Crowley nails it from around 45. Ireland lead out of absolutely nothing!

9′ – IRL 3-0 NZ: Tadhg Beirne’s yellow is upgraded to red. He can be replaced after 20 minutes but one of Ireland’s best players will have no more role in this game.

That’s a joke of a decision, honestly.

15′ – IRL 3-0 NZ: New Zealand have won a scrum penalty since but, of course, Ireland are down a man in the scrum.

Really can’t get over that Beirne red card. A shocking decision by those in the bunker.

16′ – IRL 3-0 NZ: James Lowe wins back a box kick, there’s a lovely offload by Crowley, and Ireland have the All Blacks scrambling.

They win a pen in the Kiwi 22′ — and they’re going to go to touch with 14 men!

16′ – TRYYYYY FOR IRELAND! TADGH FURLONG FOR THE 14 MEN!

They backed themselves to go to the corner, they won the lineout, they upped the tempo, and Furlong eventually crosses after serious efforts by Lowe and Van der Flier. Gibson-Park instrumental, too.

Crowley converts.

Ireland have barely had the ball but they lead 10-zip in Chicago!

19′ – TRRRYYYYY FOR NEW ZEALAND! ARDIE SAVEA! WHAT A RESPONSE!

The back row dives over in the corner after Will Jordan’s linebreak and excellent work by Leicester Fainga’anuku, who’s on for the injured Jordie Barrett.

A sublime score. New Zealand right back in it, and Beauden Barrett converts from the right-hand touchline!

23′ – IRL 10-7 NZ: Iain Henderson is on for Beirne after his red card.

26′ – IRE 10-7 NZ: Ireland pinged for a neck roll and Beauden Barrett line-kicks New Zealand to within five.

33′ – IRL 10-7 NZ: It’s been something of a bitty half, but Ireland have managed well with 14 men for most of it — back to full complement now, of course.

New Zealand have looked typically dangerous but haven’t yet cut loose aside from Savea’s try. Both sides’ lineouts malfunctioning which has contributed to a stop-start opening 33 minutes.

35′ – IRL 10-7 NZ: Some lovely hands from Crowley and Caelan Doris — on for James Ryan, I’m not sure yet if it was a HIA or a full sub — has made an immediate impact.

Ireland have a scrum near halfway.

40′ – IRL 10-7 NZ: Ireland lead at the break of an intriguing, high-intensity, scrappy affair.

It’s very different to nine years ago. Ireland’s lineout is in shambles without Tadhg Beirne, who was sent off — wrongly in this writer’s opinion — for a high shot in the opening minutes.

But they have largely contained New Zealand and lead through Tadhg Furlong’s try and the boot of Jack Crowley, with Ardie Savea’s score — converted by Beauden Barrett — the only Kiwi response so far.

A huge second half ahead.

Catch you in 15.

Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

43′ – IRL 10-7 NZ: We’re back underway in Chicago. Ireland have a scrum on halfway.

44′ – IRL 10-7 NZ: Ireland’s attack breaks down in the All Black 22′ but Roigard spoons his clearance only about as far as his own 22-metre-line, into touch.

Ardie Savea, though, turns Ireland over off the next phase from the lineout and wins the pen.

46′ – IRL 10-7 NZ: Ireland win a pen on the New Zealand 10′ — I think for offside? Not sure, apologies.

48′ – IRL 10-7 NZ: Crowley shoots wide left from his penalty effort, around 45 metres from goal. Still a poor miss by the Innishannon man.

50′ – IRL 10-7 NZ: Codie Taylor is pinged off his feet inside the All Blacks’ half and then gives lip to Brousset, conceding a further 10 points.

Ireland with the penalty just inside the Kiwi 22′.

52′ – IRL 13-7 NZ: Crowley slots the easy three. Ireland lead by six.

New Zealand have conceded eight of the last 10 penalties at Soldier Field.

57′ – IRL 13-7 NZ: The Fields of Athenry roll around Soldier Field for the first time — but New Zealand win a scrum pen inside their own half.

Bundee Aki is on for McCloskey.

Still a scrappy, bitty game, but Ireland are broadly controlling territory.

59′ – IRL 13-7 NZ: Ireland, this time, win a scrum pen inside their own half!

60′ – IRL 13-7 NZ: Crowley’s beautifully timed pass to Osborne is just about spilled forward in Kiwi territory. New Zealand exit, and Crowley is isolated after gathering the ball on the retreat. New Zealand penalty in Ireland’s half — they’ll get a platform on the Irish 5′, or close enough!

61′ – IRL 13-7 NZ: Another Kiwi pen, they’ll tap and go on Ireland’s 5′. Big, big moment, this.

62′ – TRYYYYY FOR NEW ZEALAND! TAMAITI WILLIAMS!

Lovely close-range attack from the ABS, who cross through Williams after back-to-back pens inside the Irish 5′.

Barrett converts for the lead.

Ireland are down one and, for the first time in the game, New Zealand lead in Chicago!

64′ – IRL 13-14 NZ: Crowley’s deft chip is almost gathered — but ultimately spilled in traffic — by Tommy O’Brien inside the New Zealand 22′.

Kiwi scrum just outside their 5′ — and they attack from wide with Caleb Clarke!

Lowe covers well to gather Clarke’s chip and he clears to touch inside his own half.

67′ – TRYYYYY FOR NEW ZEALAND! WALLACE SITITI!

And you’d have to think that’s the game!

A wonderful score from nothing, really, by the All Blacks, with Barrett darting and feeding Sititi on his inside for the score near the posts.

Barrett converts to move it out to a two-score game. Ireland have a mountain to climb.

68′ – IRL 13-21 NZ: Farrell has switched out his half-backs, with Craig Casey and Sam Prendergast on for Gibson-Park and Crowley, both of whom did well.

70′ – IRL 13-21 NZ: New Zealand win a scrum pen inside their own 22′.

They’ve dominated the last 10 minutes and are full value for their lead.

71′ – IRL 13-21 NZ: Penalty advantage to New Zealand on halfway.

This has slipped away from Ireland.

73′ – IRL 13-21 NZ: New Zealand win another pen in Ireland’s 22′ and they’re going for the kill: they kick to the corner.

Not straight, though, and Ireland escape for the moment.

76′ – IRL 13-21 NZ: An Aki pass from Ireland’s scrum inside their own 22′ goes astray and James Lowe spills forward — not his fault.

The All Blacks are sewing it into Ireland now. They’re about to win a third test on the trot against their recent rivals.

77′ – TRYYY FOR NEW ZEALAND! THAT’LL DO IT! CAM ROIGARD!

The scrum-half dots down the decisive try off the Kiwi scrum deep in Ireland territory. Barrett’s conversion is wide but it won’t matter.

New Zealand have a late score chalked off for a forward pass but they took the game away from Ireland in the second half. A fine win for Scott Robertson’s men in Chicago.

Thanks, all, for joining us for live updates. Keep an eye on The 42 for reaction and analysis, with Murray Kinsella on the job in Chicago.

‘Til next time, take care!