'If anyone can beat All Blacks, Ireland can'

Former All Blacks captain and Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder believes if any team can beat New Zealand it is likely to be Ireland.

London - Former All Blacks captain and Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder believes if any team can beat New Zealand it is likely to be Ireland.

Now coaching Bath in English rugby, Blackadder told Omnisport that while the All Blacks will be motivated to continue their record-breaking exploits Ireland were capable of halting them in their tracks.

The sides are to meet in Chicago on November 5 and a fortnight later in Dublin. “I would say if you just looked at the form, you would think not many teams could beat them.

“But if they think they are unbeatable they will probably get beaten, so it's probably more of a mind thing than anything else,” he said. Blackadder said he didn't have a feeling that the All Blacks would be taking anything for granted.

“They've got a record and they want to keep on winning. They want to keep growing and getting better so I would think that would be a real motivation to keep performing, keep improving and create a new legacy for themselves, which they will only do if they keep winning,” he said.

“I think if anyone can challenge them it is more likely to be Ireland. Ireland will come together and they play them in two games, which is very different when you play in a little mini-Test series.

“The last time they played, Ireland pushed the All Blacks really close and that shows that on any given day there is a chance you can narrow the gap,” Blackadder said.

“If you look at the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks were so far ahead of their rivals. But I still think that coming to the northern hemisphere and playing Ireland in Chicago and Dublin, the All Blacks will certainly have to be on their game,” he said.

African News Agency