The reaction in New Zealand to the All Blacks’ exit from the Rugby World Cup at the hands of England is best summed up by the Herald on Sunday’s fully black front page.

That New Zealand have stated they will target Johnny Sexton is hardly a galloping shock. Johnny’s had that for a lot of his career, but it remains fundamentally important to Ireland’s chances today that he is on the pitch for 60-65 minutes.

Maybe it says everything about the way the All Blacks are that the day after they learned their final pool game against Italy had been cancelled, they woke up super early and battered themselves senseless in a training game.

Kieran Read precariously sat upon his team-mates’ shoulders holding the Super Rugby trophy aloft on Saturday, satisfied he had ended his career with the Canterbury Crusaders with one final title.

It’s impossible to get used to -2 degrees in July. Irrespective of how many years a Paddy spends in Christchurch, heading out with a couple of Crusader coaches to a Japanese restaurant dressed like a lagging jacket always seems odd.

There has been a surge in stories lately about who’s going to end up where in 2020 and not all of it has been about your columnist.

Take a former Test player with an evolving philosophy about what it means to be a coach, send him on a mission to absorb the best a champion Super Rugby side can offer and then bring it back to an enabling environment with players just as eager to embrace anything that can help them develop their game.

Dan Leavy has been ruled out of Ireland's November test against New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow.

Being back in Cork next week affords the pause and opportunity to pick the bones of a remarkable eight months here in Christchurch, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Beauden, Jordie, and Scott Barrett will become the first trio of brothers to start a Test together for the All Blacks when they line up in the series-opener against France at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday.

Wales suffered a 30th successive defeat against New Zealand as the world champion All Blacks ended their European tour in winning fashion.

Sam Whitelock does not want to emulate family history when he captains New Zealand against Wales today.

France have named inexperienced half-back duo Anthony Belleau and Antoine Dupont in the starting XV to face New Zealand tomorrow.

Donal Lenihan looks at three key areas the Lions must address.

New Zealand 30

Here's how we rated the players at tonight's clash at the Aviva.

Ireland go once more unto the breach against New Zealand in Dublin this evening, armed with the confidence of having at last beaten the world champions but under no illusions about the challenge of beating them twice in a row.

As much as he enjoyed beating the best team in world rugby, Donnacha Ryan would gladly swap all the slaps on the back for another victory over the All Blacks this weekend.

Dane Coles is in the dog house. Or so he says.

New Zealand were punished for showing “a lack of respect” to Ireland when they lost in Chicago and could be in for another shock in Saturday’s rematch at the Aviva Stadium, according to former Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald.

Joe Schmidt has admitted Ireland's maiden victory over New Zealand weighs heavily with "daunting" expectation.

Rookies Garry Ringrose and Joey Carbery are prepared for what boss Joe Schmidt branded "baptism of fire" Test debuts as Ireland meet New Zealand at Chicago's Soldier Field.

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen believes his all-conquering side cannot afford to let their standards slip at Soldier Field tomorrow if the world champions are to secure a 19th successive victory with a win over Ireland.

Few people understand what it takes to be a successful All Blacks coach more than Richie McCaw and the two-time World Cup-winning captain happens to believe that Joe Schmidt has exactly what it takes to do the job.

New Zealand 14 South Africa 10

Rugby Championship: Rob Horne scored a late try, converted by Bernard Foley, to give Australia a 24-23 win over South Africa in their Rugby Championship game in Perth.

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has warned his players to expect Brian O’Driscoll to have a massive impact on tomorrow’s Test against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.

England 22 New Zealand 30

New Zealand 30 France 0

So how did a mild-mannered English teacher from a tiny village in New Zealand become one of the most respected and innovative rugby coaches in Europe and now the new supremo of the Ireland rugby team?