The tactic that could be Ireland's biggest weapon against the All Blacks

Have World Rugby goofed? You bet they have.

Ireland are surely set to rack up their biggest ever win over the All Blacks, outstrip the paltry handicap of seven points, thanks to different rules operating in the different hemispheres.

The evidence was plain to see at Thomond Park when a mixture of Munster firsts, seconds and Academy players were two points behind with just four minutes to play.

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The All Blacks were simply unable to cope with the rolling maul as we know it, the tactic setting up three of their four tries. Ireland (and Leinster), under Andy Farrell (and Leo Cullen), are brilliant at rolling mauls.

This same home team dominance will feature every time Ireland have a lineout within 10 metres of the New Zealand line at the Aviva tonight.

Get your money down; Ronan Kelleher to find Joe McCarthy or Caelan Doris with the throw, the forwards setting up a rolling maul (which will most likely be joined by the adjacent winger and the centres if they decide a bit more heave is needed).

Chaos at Thomond Park - Munster's rolling maul forces a penalty-try against All Blacks XV
(Image: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)

After that once the maul starts to gain ground it is Kelleher's job to carry at the back and gain the touchdown; although Ireland have a regular secondary 'decoy' ploy which works with Josh van der Flier as the eventual scorer.

This match will be different because while, defensively, the All Blacks should be able to deal with the initial set-piece being set up and stop its momentum at some point soon after formation.

But, here's the kicker...

World Rugby have been implementing/trialling a 2024 rule in the southern hemisphere where should attacking maul stall at any point, the referee must shout 'use it' and the attacking team must take the ball out or be penalised.

Northern hemisphere rugby operates differently. A team is allowed to steady the maul. If it stops the referee calls 'stopped once' at which point the attacking side has the option to rethink and put on a secondary drive.

That secondary drive smashed the All Blacks backwards every time at Thomond Park last weekend.

Their younger players were unsure of just what they were doing, their more experienced players having half-forgotten what they were supposed to be doing and resulting in defensive chaos.

This Ireland are world-ranked number one, have their best ever side, went closer to making a World Cup semi-final than they ever did before and have picked a 'grizzled' pack full of players who know how to maul - and the hefty Bundee Aki who loves to get into mauls.

All of this, and thank you World Rugby, will have the All Blacks unhinged early and often and at panic stations when Ireland have attacking lineouts within range.

Kelleher, van der flier and the penalty-try are all in play here.

Ireland have only beaten New Zealand five times since the teams first met in 1905 and the highest winning margin of the five has been 11 points, courtesy of the 40-29 win in Chicago in 2016.

The other margins have registered as five, nine, eleven and ten - so get set for a new record.

Besides, no harm to start to even up what is a lop-sided scoring ledger pock-marked heavy defeats to the All Blacks in the past and where winning by 60 points in 2012 is their highest home margin and by 48 points in 1997 is their best in Dublin.

VERDICT: Ireland to win (2/5), beat the handicap of minus-seven (10/11), Kelleher (17/10), van der Flier (16/5), penalty-try (on application) as any-time scorer.

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