New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie has acknowledged the threat posed by Ireland ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship clash in Auckland, stating his squad is "well aware of Ireland's ability."
Ireland, led by Andy Farrell, have started the tournament with two bonus-point wins, while the All Blacks remain undefeated after victories over Italy and France. The visitors aim to end New Zealand's remarkable 52-match unbeaten run at Eden Park, a venue where Ireland have never won.
"There's a healthy amount of respect for the Irish. They'll come in and genuinely believe they can beat us," Rennie told reporters. "They're very well coached, very skilful, and their forwards have a really good short passing game. Defensively, their ability to fill the field is strong. You have to be patient to break them down."
Rennie described Eden Park as "a fortress," but stressed that past achievements count for little. "It's about us making sure we get our prep right and mindset right—especially against an Irish side who won a series here on their last tour."
The All Blacks coach also highlighted the importance of shutting down scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park. "Leinster have had a massive influence on Irish rugby. Jamison's a big part of their success. We need to make life difficult for him so he can't play on the front foot."
Kick-off is at 08:10 BST.