Irish media are turning their attention to key match-ups heading into this weekend's Test between their national team and the All Blacks.
With both teams adjusting their line ups due to injuries, veteran players could prove to be the difference in the world No.1 v No.2 clash at the Aviva in Dublin on Sunday morning.
The Herald's Des Berry is looking at the locks with James Ryan tasked with taking on "the best second row in the world" - namely, Brodie Retallick.
"When the rain came slanting down at Twickenham, Beauden Barrett moved to the periphery and captain Kieran Read was held in check - it was the 2014 World Player of the Year who rose to the occasion, to snatch three line-out throws out of the paws of Maro Itoje in a magnificent Man of the Match performance that was the difference between victory and defeat.
"[Ryan] is not the best in his position in the game but the 22-year-old will be given the chance to go up against Retallick, just 27, to see how far he has to go to get there."
However, RTE's rugby analyst Donal Lenihan is looking at a more experienced lock to combat Retallick and Whitelock, stating Devin Toner has to start for Ireland.
"You go back to Chicago when we won there two years ago, I know [Brodie] Retallick and [Sam] Whitelock weren’t there but we dominated them in the line-out, that gave the platform to win the game.
"You’re going to have to challenge them in the air, they will challenge us and as a consequence of that Toner has to come in, for his presence and for his ability to vary and call the right line-outs at the right time."
He also pointed out for some of the more-capped players of the All Blacks, Sunday may be their last chance to empty the tank this year.
"I just have this suspicion that New Zealand, they have Italy as their last game on Tour, they’ll make a load of changes for that.
"It’s the last stand for a lot of their players, I think they’ll want to draw a line in the sand pre the World Cup.
"I think Ireland have the capacity to beat them but everything will have to go right."
The Independent's Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald looked at numerous angles in their podcast and also had some insight from Kiwi first-five Jimmy Gopperth.
One match-up that intrigued the trio was Jonathan Sexton and Beauden Barrett with Fiztgerald arguing he'd pick the Irish first five over Barrett because he was a "pure 10".
"It's neck and neck... I just think that Johnny as a pure 10, for me, I love his decision-making.
"He just makes lots of really good decisions and it's the hardest thing a 10 has to do. And I just think he has the edge off the tee."
The two sides clash at Aviva Stadium on Sunday at 8am NZT.
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