Ireland player ratings vs All Blacks: 2025 Autumn Internationals

Scroll down for Ireland player ratings vs All Blacks by Aled James.

New Zealand finally exorcised a nine-year-old nightmare, ending their wait to get one back on Ireland with a commanding win in Chicago—but the rematch fell short of the hype.

The All Blacks, haunted by their first-ever loss to Ireland at Soldier Field in 2016, came alive in the second half, running down the Irish and crushing any hopes of a repeat upset.

Ireland were hit early when influential forward Tadhg Beirne saw red, and although Tadhg Furlong’s try gave them a 10-0 advantage, Ardie Savea’s slick effort cut the deficit to three by halftime.

Jack Crowley nudged Ireland ahead 13-6 with a penalty early in the second half—but that was as good as it got. Tamaiti Williams, Wallace Sititi, and Cameron Roigard all crossed to seal a deserved victory for the southern hemisphere powerhouse.

Tries: Furlong (16’)
Conversions: Crowley (17’)
Penalties: Crowley (7’, 51’)

Tries: Savea (19’), Williams (62’), Sititi (67’), Roigard (77')
Conversions: B. Barrett (20’, 63’, 67’)

by Aled James

A strong, aggressive showing from Ireland’s Andrew Porter. He brought real purpose with ball in hand and added bite both in the scrum and through his support play. Defensively, the tighthead prop was equally impressive, showing urgency and physicality with a series of solid tackles.

Among Ireland’s forwards, Sheehan endured a mixed afternoon. Five lineouts went astray for the hosts in Chicago, and his usually reliable set-piece work looked a touch off the mark. Still, his carrying in open play offered glimpses of his usual dynamism. A step up will be expected as he looks to rediscover his best form for the remainder of the Autumn Series.

An impactful performance from Ireland’s tighthead prop. He capped a strong display with a well-taken try in the 17th minute and brought real power to the breakdown. A constant source of strength in Ireland’s engine room, he set the physical tone throughout.

Ireland’s lock once again showcased his physicality and leadership. Commanding in the lineout, he provided the platform Ireland needed to stay on the front foot. Relentless in his work rate, Ryan’s influence around the park was solid, anchoring the pack with his usual authority and composure in a dependable performance.

A disappointing outing for the Irish second row, whose day ended early after a controversial red card for a collision with New Zealand fly-half Beauden Barrett. Dismissed in the opening stages, Ireland were left without one of their most influential forwards, forced to play 20 minutes down a man.

One of Ireland’s best players, Baird was influential at the breakdown and involved in everything. He stifled New Zealand in the contact area for large parts of the match. The Irish back-rower proved a real nuisance to his opponents—winning turnovers and providing the instrumental edge to Ireland’s power play that was so crucial in the victory. He could be one to watch this series.

A steady outing from the Irish flanker. He worked hard at the breakdown and offered support in attack, but nothing really stood out. Defensively reliable, as always, but overall, Ireland lacked that cutting edge and could have used a little more from the British & Irish Lion.

A quiet day for the Irish number eight. Conan contributed where needed, working at the breakdown and carrying in tight channels, but he rarely made a decisive impact. Solid enough defensively, despite overcommitting on one of New Zealand’s late tries.

A strong showing from Ireland’s scrum-half. With Ireland’s power game relying on quick ball, Gibson-Park provided the necessary tempo and precision to keep the attack flowing during his time on the field. A few passes went astray due to moments of miscommunication, but overall, Ireland’s No. 9 delivered a solid performance.

An impressive performance from the Irish fly-half. Creativity and control proved vital, and Crowley delivered both, though he let himself down with a few decisions before Prendergast came on. He managed the pace well at times and showed composure under pressure. His penalty conversions were mostly cleanly struck.

It’s the little wins that count. James Lowe provided Ireland with valuable momentum through his inventive kick-and-chase efforts, repeatedly forcing the All Blacks to clear their lines. His energy and celebration of those small victories helped galvanise the Irish crowd in Chicago. However, he needed more support at times, which limited his opportunities to truly get going.

Ireland’s natural ball-carrying inside centre delivered a dominant, front-foot performance. Constantly threatening the defensive line, he created openings and kept Ireland’s attacks alive. Strong in defence as well, he rounded off a resolute display.

A frustrating outing for Ireland’s outside centre. Ringrose lacked his usual cutting edge in attack, often unable to break the defensive line, and was guilty of overshooting a few tackles. While he put in effort defensively and supported the play at times, it was a below-par performance for a player of his quality.

A quiet day on the wing for Ireland. He had a few moments of attacking threat but was largely kept in check and struggled to make decisive breaks. Defensively, he was solid but didn’t stand out, resulting in a below-par performance.

A slightly better outing for Osborne among the backline, but still short of the cutting edge. He showed glimpses of threat in attack, yet never quite turned those opportunities into game-changing moments.

Alterations proved to lack the cutting edge needed to make a clear impact on proceedings in Chicago. Henderson came on early following Tadhg Beirne’s red card, helping to steady the pack under difficult circumstances. The most notable moment from Ireland’s string of substitutes was Caelan Doris making his mark with a big hit after coming on, demonstrating the intensity and determination expected from someone with a point to prove after missing out on the British & Irish Lions tour. Aside from those moments, the bench had little impact on the game.

Can you name the top 5 most capped All Blacks of all time? Test your rugby knowledge and see if you can recall these icons of consistency and class!