The Maori All Blacks perform ‘The Haka’ before the 2016 match against Munster at Thomond Park in Limerick. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
Munster start the post-Graham Rowntree era with a clash against an All Blacks XV at a sold-out Thomond Park on Saturday evening.
The Red Army will hope for the same effect from the last time they played a touring side in 2022.
After a bad start to the season, they beat a South African XV in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, sparking a run of form which would ultimately lead to the URC title, their first trophy since 2011.
Here’s all you need to know about this weekend’s clash.
When?
The game takes place this Saturday at Thomond Park, Limerick, with a 5.30pm kick-off.
Where to watch?
The fixture between will be live streamed exclusively on Access Munster in Ireland and the UK.
The extensive, multi-camera stream will bring paid subscribers all the action from Thomond Park with live commentary from Dan Mooney and former Munster player Barry Murphy.
Access Munster was created in October 22 with the goal providing extra premium content in addition to the daily written and video content already posted on Munster’s website.
This weekend’s game is the highest profile game that has been streamed on the service so far and a spokesperson for the province said that they plan on streaming more games in the future.
History
This will be the tenth meeting between Munster and an All Blacks side, with the first being in 1905.
The last time Munster played an All Blacks side it was in 2016 at Thomond Park. The Maori All Blacks fell to the home side 27-14, on a night of beautiful tributes to Munster legend Anthony Foley.
Leinster and Ireland winger James Lowe scored a try for the Maori side that evening.
All Blacks XV Head Coach Clayton McMillan has previously coached Munster’s Alex Nankivell and John Ryan at New Zealand Super Rugby Club, Chiefs.
Munster also came agonisingly close to a big win over an All Blacks XV in 2008, running the visitors close on a 18-16 scoreline in an electric atmosphere at Thomond Park.
The most historic victory for Munster over New Zealand came on Tuesday October 31, 1978 when the Reds became the first Irish team to beat the All Blacks.
That 12-0 win at Thomond became the stuff of legend and formed the basis of the hugely-successful 1999 comic play by John Breen, called Alone It Stands.
