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League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Jordie Barrett after winning the URC with Leinster.James Crombie/INPHO 'Jordie's time in Leinster served him well. He's given us good insights' All Blacks boss Scott Robertson set the scene for his side’s clash with Ireland. 6.46pm, 27 Oct 2025 Share options Murray Kinsella Reports from Chicago ALL BLACKS BOSS Scott Robertson said Jordie Barrett has been able to share insights on Irish rugby since his return to the New Zealand set-up. 28-year-old Barrett was with Leinster on a short-term deal from December 2024 until the end of last season, making a major impact in midfield. The New Zealander said one of the reasons for his move to Ireland was the chance to develop his own game by learning in a new environment. Barrett has returned to the All Blacks in excellent form, featuring in all nine of their Tests so far this year. And Robertson said Barrett has been able to bring some good info back from Ireland too. “Jordie’s pretty special,” said Robertson at the All Blacks’ team hotel in Chicago today. “You get players in your team that are rugby players and coaches before they’re coaches. “He studies the game, studies the opposition, his memory on people’s statistics and who played where they play. His time in Leinster served him well for that analysis side of it. He’s given us some good insights and it’s great for him to be a part of our team. “He’s looking forward to the game, as you’d expect. There’s a few mates on the other side.” There is great familiarity between these sides, given the regularity of this fixture in recent years. The All Blacks have had the better of Ireland in their last two meetings, winning a thriller at the 2023 World Cup before coming to Dublin last November and claiming victory in the rain. “You reflect on that game and it was a game of small margins, like most Test matches are,” said Robertson of the win at the Aviva Stadium. Advertisement All Blacks boss Scott Robertson.Photosport / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO Photosport / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO / Andrew Cornaga/INPHO “We completed our sets really well, kicked well, our discipline was good. There was just a couple of little moments we were pleased with it. We stayed in the game for a long time and it was a hell of a night at Aviva for us.” While there is plenty of concern in Irish quarters about the lack of game time that most of Andy Farrell’s team have had in the build-up to this game, Robertson isn’t expecting Ireland to struggle. “How many Irish players were in the Lions team? 16?” said Robertson. “That’s pretty hefty. They won a series away, which is very tough for the Lions, so they’ve got a group of men that have played Test footy, so they’ll be ready. “They’ve got good cohesion and they’re well coached, so we expect the best out of them. “We know their strengths. We know they’re a team that’s extremely organised and well-structured and take you deep into the phase count, so we know that. We expect that again, and expect the best of them. “They’ve got a lot of experienced players that know how to play Test football. They play, they kick well, they’ve just got a good all-round game, and they’ve got some world-class players in there that you’ve got to respect.” Of course, Chicago was the scene of the All Blacks’ first-ever defeat to Ireland. It’s a game that has been mentioned in the New Zealand camp this week. “It was a pretty historic day, wasn’t it?” said Robertson. “You reflect back and when it’s the first time in history, you don’t want to be that team. “But it’s happened now and you accept it. What were our learnings from that week? You ask a couple of players and coaches who were in and around what happened that week, and what did we learn from it, to make sure that we get it right this week. Ireland lost to the All Blacks in Dublin last year.Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO “We’ve had 10 games since [against Ireland], we have [won] five each, five apiece. “So, Test footy is pretty tight, and the Lions [sic] have got a hell of a team.” This is the start of a big tour for the Kiwis, with games in Scotland, England, and Wales to come. This is what they call a ‘Grand Slam’ tour against the traditional home nations. New Zealand haven’t had one since 2010, when they beat all four teams. 1978, 2005, and 2008 were their other successful Grand Slam tours and Robertson wants to add to those achievements. “We’re going for a Grand Slam,” he Robertson. “You know, opportunities don’t come around that often, and when they do, you’ve got to take them.” While he is clearly in a determined mood, the All Blacks boss does hope his players enjoy being in Chicago. They perhaps did a little too much of that in 2016, but Robertson is a coach who encourages his players to switch off when the time is right. His message to the squad is to embrace the city. “It’s got big shoulders, hasn’t it? That’s what they say. There’s a good little coffee shop down there that we saw on the board… the industrialism, it was actually quite cool to learn about the history and the background of Chicago. “We’re on a beautiful autumn day here. We’re not minus 20 with the wind coming off the lake, so I just probably respect how much hard work’s been given to the city over a long period of time. And then just embrace the week, but also the focus is on Saturday.” Robertson said that his entire 36-man squad is fit and available for selection this weekend. Murray Kinsella Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “'Jordie's time in Leinster served him well. He's given us good insights'”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “'Jordie's time in Leinster served him well. He's given us good insights'”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. 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