Defeating the All Blacks is another sign of progress for
Ireland but success in
France in 2023 remains the ultimate target
November has become synonymous with men growing extra facial hair for charity and Ireland beating the All Blacks. After 110 barren years they have managed three wins in the fixture, starting in
Chicago in 2016. That they have all been out of competition is a point not lost in this constituency.
“If this is the peak, it’s no good for anybody,” Ireland’s captain, Johnny Sexton, said. “There is definitely room for improvement individually and you can see some of the stuff in the first half in terms of taking our chances. We could have scored a few tries in the first half. We need to keep our feet on the ground and keep improving. This is just the start and we need to keep building. The thing about beating
New Zealand – it gives a lift to the country but you don’t get a trophy for it.”