Chicago trip kickstarts Ireland's World Cup countdown, says Jamison Gibson-Park

Andy Farrell's side will face the All Blacks at Soldier Field once again on Saturday week.

CHECKING IN: James Lowe, Andrew Porter and Jamison Gibson-Park at Dublin Airport 21/10/2025. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

For all the familiarity of the Ireland squad heading into this four-Test November window, the players who left Dublin bound for Chicago boarded their plane having started the World Cup 2027 countdown clock.

It may be a Soldier Field reunion with New Zealand on November 1, nine years on from Ireland’s historic first victory over the All Blacks there, but their meeting 10 days hence will mark the start of a fresh chapter for Andy Farrell’s side with Jamison Gibson-Park revealing that the two-years-to-go milestone had been part of the head coach’s messaging on the squad’s arrival in camp this week.