Will Jordan: Every All Blacks strategic shift for World Cup was to beat Ireland

The 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals live on in the memory of all rugby fans as one of the greatest weekends in the sport’s history. Now, Will Jordan has lifted the lid on just what went into the All Blacks‘ famous win over Ireland.

On October 14th, 2023, Stade de France played host to one of the most tense Tests rugby has seen, with Ireland and the All Blacks meeting in a knock-out contest the rugby world had been waiting for.

New Zealand got on the board early with two penalties before Leicester Fainga’anuku scored the opening try of the game to give his side a 13-0 lead. By halftime, Ireland had rallied back to make it a one-point defecit.

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One try apiece kept scores tight in the second period, but a Jordie Barrett penalty in the 68th minute pushed New Zealand’s lead to four points. Ireland needed a try, but after 37 phases, New Zealand won a penalty and with it, the game.

The victory came one year after an historic first where Ireland won a three-Test series on New Zealand soil, an achievement that built on already astronomic levels of anticipation for the match once the fixture was confirmed.

“It was crazy. Looking at the draw from when it was done, I think two years out, you knew those quarter-finals, whether it was going to be us vs France or Ireland and the Springboks as well, it was going to be all go. A huge game,” All Blacks flyer Will Jordan, who played on the right wing in the game, recalled on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby.

“We’d had a great history against Ireland since probably two years before that when they had the wood on us a little bit. So, they were flying, number one in the world.

“We knew it was going to be a massive game and everything we’d done strategy-wise that year; Rugby Championship, how we were playing, was dictated by how we wanted to play against Ireland.

“So, give the coaching staff: Fozzy (Ian Foster), Joe Schmidt, Stormy (Scott McLeod) who was doing the defence, some credit around how they set us up for that.

“We went from being quite an aggressive up-and-in line speed team where they were just picking us off with their short passing, (Johnny) Sexton wrapping around, and we just couldn’t defend it.

“We went from that to more of a push, connected, give them a five metre bend but not let them breach us.

“When we first came into camp, it took a little while for everyone to buy into it. It was quite a big change right before the World Cup. Anyway, we ended up buying into it, and it was massively critical in that game. I think we leaked 21 points or whatever, but for the most part, we were reasonably resolute around our defensive game.

“That was summed up by those last 37 phases, or however many it was. The first 25 of that felt pretty good; they were around halfway, not really going anywhere too far, so we were feeling pretty confident about what’s going on. Then, 25 to 32, they’re probably around 30 out, and you’ve made about four tackles each. You’re like, ok, this is starting to get a little bit untidy.

“Then, you get to like, 34 to 37, I think Bundee (Aki) made a bit of a half-breach, and now they’re like 10 out. You’re like f*ck, this is… someone do something! A little bit of stress came in at that point.

“Then good ole’ Sammy Whiteolck got on the ball. A great moment for him, probably just about his signature career moment. It had been a big couple of weeks for him, passing Richie (McCaw’s) record, getting to 150 (caps), so a great way for him to do it.

“It was quite cool, where the game finished, in the 22, was right in front of where all our families were sitting in the stand. So a lot of Kiwi support there, right in that corner. So, just a great moment, tight game, World Cup, certainly a special memory.”