Steve Hansen on why Ireland won’t beat the All Blacks at Eden Park + South Africa v Wales, Australia v Italy & Argentina v England

Eden Park. 32 years. 52 matches. The All Blacks’ fortress is on the line as Ireland roll into Auckland with a full-strength mindset, and David Pembroke, Steve Hansen and Ewen McKenzie lay out exactly where this Test will be won: set piece, breakdown chaos, aerial contests and whether New Zealand’s timing and depth can beat Ireland’s line speed and ruck dark arts. There’s also a big refereeing focus with Nic Berry in the middle, plus a frank debate on scrums, quick-ball interpretations, and whether the game has made it too easy to go straight to free kicks. Off the field, World Rugby’s TMO “centre of excellence” trial sparks a proper rethink of who runs the game: the referee, the TMO, or everyone at once. Then it’s across the weekend: Japan v France in Tokyo, Wallabies v Italy in Perth, Fiji v Scotland, Springboks v Wales, and Argentina v England.

Also in this episode:

● Can Ireland break the Eden Park streak?

● New Zealand and Ireland selections, benches, and lineout clues

● Nic Berry’s refereeing style and breakdown expectations

● Scrums, free kicks, and the missing contest for possession

● World Rugby’s remote TMO trial and bunker debate

● Nations Championship previews: Japan-France, Argentina-England, Springboks-Wales

PLUS: The episode tackles travel, player welfare, and what “all in” really means for new World Rugby competitions.

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