Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan has said Ireland will stick to their open style of rugby as Ireland attempt to beat the All Blacks for the first time ever in tomorrow morning’s (8.05 am Irish time) first Test in Dunedin.
A 10-10 draw in Dublin in 1973 is Ireland’s best ever result in 15 Tests but O’Sullivan is hoping Carisbrook in Dunedin might just present them with a change of luck.
The All Blacks were ordinary in their win over Italy last weekend, despite scoring nine tries to one. John Mitchell's has made 10 changes to his side with no fewer than 13 of the starting line-up coming from the Super 12 champions Crusaders.
And O'Sullivan has said Ireland's "ball in hand" style would continue.
"We're not going to just kick it in the air or stick it into the corners. We'll be more expansive than that," he said.
And he was not surprised by the top-heavy Crusaders' component in the All Black team. He said: "The Crusaders are the dominant team in New Zealand by a mile. There's no surprise for me given their Super 12 form."
And the coach claims Ireland's challenge tomorrow is to play to the intensity demanded by the All Blacks. "It's a question of lifting our intensity and still playing a similar quality. That's the question we have to answer," he added.
In naming his starting XV Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan admitted it was a close call between Ronan O'Gara and Humphreys at fly-half.
O'Gara is one of five changes from the side which opened the tour with a 56-3 demolition of the New Zealand Divisional XV in Timaru, the Test team having seven changes from that beaten 44-5 by France in the final Six Nations match of the season.
Humphreys has scored 320 points in his 41 Tests and kicked 14 points in last November's loss to New Zealand. O'Gara was a member of the Munster team beaten in the European Cup final a fortnight ago and O'Sullivan said his recent play tipped the selection in his favour.
"David hasn't had much recent play and Ronan's just a wee bit sharper at the moment," O'Sullivan said.
One place further out John Kelly will play just his second Test, his previous appearance being against Italy and he will form a new combination with the world-class O'Driscoll.
The team also features the return of loose-head prop Reggie Corrigan who won the last of his 10 caps in the 1999 World Cup.
Six of the team - full-back Girvan Dempsey, O'Driscoll, half-back Peter Stringer, number eight Anthony Foley, Wood and tighthead prop John Hayes - played against the All Blacks last year.