Overview
- Kick-off is 8:10pm UK time on Saturday, with live coverage on TNT Sports 2 and streaming via discovery+, and Virgin Media One carrying the game in Ireland.
- Ireland start Jack Crowley at fly-half with Dan Sheehan captaining; Caelan Doris and Bundee Aki are named on the bench and prop Paddy McCarthy could debut.
- Beauden Barrett returns at fly-half for New Zealand in a side captained by Scott Barrett, with Will Jordan, Caleb Clarke and Ardie Savea among the starters and Rieko Ioane omitted.
- Tickets have sold out with expectations of a heavily Irish crowd, and a New Zealand Herald social post suggesting the All Blacks “sold out” the stadium drew pushback from Irish supporters.
- World Rugby’s rankings separate the sides by 0.19 points in New Zealand’s favor, and this match launches the All Blacks’ Grand Slam tour to Scotland, England and Wales as Chicago spotlights U.S. rugby growth efforts.