Sheehan and Ireland seek forward momentum nine years on from Chicago 'life moment'
Ireland's Dan Sheehan. Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
With the last morning sun of October pouring down, the first sight of Irish green emerged from the tunnel. It was Jonathan Sexton who, for a brief few minutes, had Soldier Field all to himself.
No longer a soldier himself, now a drill sergeant of sorts, Sexton fired a couple of balls towards the posts, testing the conditions to divine insights for Ireland’s kickers. But perhaps for old time’s sake too.
After a week of 2016 talk in Chicago, it should be remembered that Andy Farrell’s generation game began when another ended — at the hands of the All Blacks in Paris two years ago.
That was the end of the Sexton era and the start of whatever was to come.
Two autumns on, and with plenty of mitigating factors, not least his secondment to the Lions, Ireland’s head coach hasn’t made as much progress in defining that ‘whatever’ as many would have liked.
Perhaps even himself.
Yes, the mantlepiece shows a Six Nations title and a Triple Crown from the two springs since but halfway towards the next World Cup Ireland have arrived back here to a place that begs them to look back when they know there’s precious little time for that.
Forward momentum is craved and Saturday afternoon offers the opportunity to accrue a healthy load of it.
Sexton was soon joined by Farrell and the rest of the Ireland backroom team who watched their players get a fresh feel for the big, sweeping bowl down by Lake Michigan.
There was a smattering of an exclusive band of Irish fans on hand to watch the Captain’s Run but when everyone returns on Saturday afternoon the whole place will be filled and very green.
Because of the historic events of 2016 and all that followed, Ireland fans travel in both hope and expectation. A rivalry which James Lowe argued earlier in the week has “a bit of hatred on both sides" has been evenly-split, 5-5, in the last ten meetings.
Yet with that ending of the Sexton dream in 2023 and a comprehensive victory in Dublin this time last year, the All Blacks are going for three victories in a row here, a result which would make the rivalry feel pretty uneven again.
Dan Sheehan did a little running and a little talking as captain on Friday. Caelan Doris has been kept in reserve so the Leinster hooker will lead Ireland again.
It’s an irony that as many fret over Ireland’s aging profile there are also questions about the loss of experience too, this the first Test against a Tier 1 nation since Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray and Cian Healy departed.
New and lesser-spotted faces pepper the Ireland match-day 23.
Tommy O’Brien will win a third cap on the wing outside the recalled Stuart McCloskey, and powerhouse prop Paddy McCarthy will debut from the bench at some point.
As he gets more used to being on duty at a captain’s run, Sheehan said that new leaders are finding their footing.
"I think it's been a conscious thing over the last few years to make sure that young lads are contributing and almost put in positions that they mightn't be comfortable in leadership groups,” said Sheehan. “There was always a young contingent in the leadership group over the last few years so we could learn off the likes of Pete and Johnny and Murray and all these lads who are no longer with us.
“I think we're in a good spot in that sense that it hasn't been a massive shock [or] it's a quiet group now. Everyone's pretty comfortable speaking and fully aware that the players have to drive the standards and drive what we want to get out of the weeks. I thought it's been quite a good transition even though those characters are missing. We have to take our own characters now and just get on with them.”
A new side to Jack Crowley’s character has been on show in red already this term.
On Saturday he’ll get to show it again in green. Tadhg Beirne also bringing his Munster form Stateside would be a huge help too.
It is of course a given that Beirne and the rest of the pack have to make their experience count up front of Crowley to have the platform deliver.
Farrell wrestles with placing too much or too little importance on experience. But in the forwards, Ireland’s is telling.
New Zealand’s starting pack boast 379 caps to Ireland’s 472 - with Codie Taylor and Ardie Savea accounting for over half of that tally.
Scott Robertson’s team are seen as further along in their transitions between eras yet it’s been bumpy to say the least.
Farrell has certainly appeared the more comfortable coach throughout the week, the All Blacks camp kept very busy with myriad marketing and commercial gigs.
Both leaders have outlined the important of Saturday's set-piece battles. In 2023 the Kiwi scrum hurt Ireland badly.
Sheehan touched on it one more time for good measure.
“We take pride in our scrum obviously as well and hopefully we can get a bit of access through it,” he said. "It's definitely going to be a big point tomorrow I think, that first scrum, to see how it goes.”
He pointed to Ryan Baird, as a key figure in the lineout. The Leinster giant gets that rare and precious thing here — a start on the blindside and will be ravenous to make it count.
In a city that marked a seismic breakthrough nine years ago, Saturday offers the chance for all sorts of aftershocks as Ireland look to really get moving again.
"I think that 2016 moment, we've talked about it, that was a bit of a life moment for every Irish sports fan back in 2016. Massive memories,” Sheehan added. “Everyone has a memory of where they were and how special that day was. Obviously we've had some big battles against New Zealand over the years since then. I think everyone's pretty buzzed to almost feel a part of that day in 2016, and for the rematch. It's pretty special that we all got here.”
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