A daily newspaper published in Wellington, New Zealand, has reported that the Irish rugby team and New Zealand will meet again at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2025.
This will be the second time the teams have faced each other at the famous American venue. In 2016, under Joe Schmidt, the Irish team managed to beat the All Blacks 40-29.
That loss was the first time New Zealand had been defeated by Ireland. Since then, Ireland has beaten New Zealand more regularly, but the southern hemisphere side managed to get the last laugh in the quarterfinals of last year's Rugby World Cup, where Ireland lost narrowly 24-28.
The rivalry between the sides has grown as Ireland's emergence and rise in the world rugby rankings have intensified, and the proposed next meeting promises to be a potentially brilliant encounter.
The Post NZ and the Irish Examiner are reporting that Ireland and New Zealand are set to face off in Chicago again in the autumn of 2025
Time to run it back pic.twitter.com/Mwb1yna1DG
— CaolánSRugby (@CaolanSRugby) July 22, 2024
The Post in New Zealand claims the fixture is likely to happen in October or November to kick off the end-of-season tour.
The New Zealand outlet also added, "The Post understands that the All Blacks and Ireland will meet in the United States in 2025, writing the next installment in an intense rivalry that has also included two Rugby World Cup victories for the All Blacks, a bitter home series loss in 2022, and some memorable on-field sledges."
Ireland's last visit to the U.S. never came to fruition. Andy Farrell’s Ireland was scheduled to play the USA in Las Vegas in 2021, but ongoing COVID restrictions led to the cancellation of the planned October Test at the 65,000-capacity Allegiant Stadium.
Ireland will also play New Zealand on their upcoming autumn tour. A November Test at the Aviva Stadium is also planned, before Ireland hosts Argentina, Fiji, and Australia.
