All Blacks v Ireland: What you need to know

Ireland and the All Blacks at Soldier Field, Chicago in 2025.

The All Blacks host Ireland at Eden Park tonight, with their 52-Test unbeaten record at the fortress on the line from kick off at 7.10pm.

It is the third and final Test of Dave Rennie's first month in charge, following wins over France and Italy.

Rennie has picked his biggest forward pack yet, with an extra lock, Tupou Vaa'i, starting at blindside flanker to counter Ireland's pack that coach Andy Farrell says has "nothing to fear" from playing at Eden Park.

"We have selected a strong team that allows some of the combinations we have tested to continue building, and rewards players who have impressed over the last two rounds," he said.

It's Ireland's fifth visit to the ground and they've never won there — not even in 2022, when they claimed a historic series victory in New Zealand by winning the other two Tests.

They come into the Test ranked third in the world, just behind the All Blacks. South Africa are currently in World Rugby's top spot.

All Blacks assistant coach Tana Umaga has called Ireland's fearlessness of Eden Park "troubling", while hooker Codie Taylor has labelled it the side's "biggest challenge so far" this year.

1News.co.nz will have live updates on the Test from 6pm.

Travel and match day info

It's a big night for Auckland's transport network, with more than 85,000 fans expected across three major events on the same evening — the Test at Eden Park, the Warriors against the Dragons at Go Media Stadium, and the Harlem Globetrotters at Spark Arena.

Auckland Transport is offering free integrated ticketing for the 50,000 fans expected at Eden Park, who can ride buses and trains to and from Kingsland from 3pm by showing their match ticket.

Special event buses will run every 10 to 15 minutes from Albany, the CBD and the eastern suburbs, with extra trains added after the match. The Western Line will be closed between Waitematā (Britomart) and Morningside from 8.30pm to 10pm, so fans heading west will need to change to a rail replacement bus at Newmarket before rejoining the train at Morningside.

Team News

There are four changes and one positional switch from the Italy win. Patrick Tuipulotu returns from injury to partner Josh Lord in the second row, with Vaa'i shifting to blindside flanker in place of Wallace Sititi.

Quinn Tupaea replaces Billy Proctor at centre, and Josh Moorby, impressive off the bench on debut, is promoted to start on the left wing ahead of Caleb Clarke. Fehi Fineanganofo and Leroy Carter are out through shoulder injuries, and Beauden Barrett again misses the squad.

Will Jordan starts on the wing having become the All Blacks' all-time leading Test try-scorer with his hat-trick against Italy, taking him to 50 tries in 56 Tests.

Ireland have named three New Zealand-born players in their 23: halfback Jamison Gibson-Park starts, while Dunedin-born loose forward Sean Jansen — who scored on Test debut last week — and midfielder Bundee Aki are on the bench.

Auckland's Kingsland, home to Eden Park, has been named one of the "coolest neighbourhoods in the world".

Team lists

All Blacks

1. Ethan de Groot (42), 2. Codie Taylor (108), 3. Tyrel Lomax (50), 4. Josh Lord (14), 5. Patrick Tuipulotu (56), 6. Tupou Vaa'i (46), 7. Luke Jacobson (26), 8. Ardie Savea (108) (c), 9. Cam Roigard (19), 10. Ruben Love (7), 11. Josh Moorby (1), 12. Jordie Barrett (80), 13. Quinn Tupaea (25), 14. Will Jordan (56), 15. Damian McKenzie (76).

Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Xavier Numia, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Anton Segner, 20. Peter Lakai, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Anton Lienert-Brown, 23. Caleb Clarke.

Unavailable: Fehi Fineanganofo (shoulder), Leroy Carter (shoulder).

Ireland

1. Tom O'Toole, 2. Dan Sheehan (c), 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Joe McCarthy, 5. James Ryan, 6. Tadhg Beirne, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Jack Conan, 9. Jamison Gibson-Park, 10. Sam Prendergast, 11. Jimmy O'Brien, 12. Stuart McCloskey, 13. Garry Ringrose, 14. Rob Baloucoune, 15. Hugo Keenan.

Reserves: 16. Ronan Kelleher, 17. Jeremy Loughman, 18. Thomas Clarkson, 19. Nick Timoney, 20. Sean Jansen, 21. Craig Casey, 22. Ciaran Frawley, 23. Bundee Aki.