26 undeniable reasons Ireland can defeat New Zealand

We've been wringing our hands ever since Steve Hansen labelled us as underdogs. No bookmaker on the planet would agree but why shouldn't we walk tall into battle?

At Soldier Field, we out-played, out-fought, out-thought and out-lasted the best team in the world. People talk about 111 years and 29 games but this is Joe Schmidt's Ireland. This is our Ireland. We have the All Blacks rattled. Of course they are going to come at us hard. They're the flipping All Blacks. Ireland will be ready. Let's revel in the position we're in right now. We have bested the best, hammered Canada with a completely different team and we have Sean O'Brien back. Iain Henderson too. Peter O'Mahony. Keith Earls, Mike Ross and Tommy Bowe can't get a look-in. These are good times. Can we do it again? Why the hell not? Here are our purely scientific reasons Ireland can do the double over the All Blacks. Rob Kearney "You need a good game today," Schmidt told him. Kearney delivered. He loves playing the ABs. Andrew Trimble Squire, Savea and every black jersey that came near Trimble felt his force. Jared Payne Defensive leader in the backline. THAT pass... Robbie Henshaw His time has come. Big things were predicted and Henshaw has delivered. Simon Zebo Played like a champion in Chicago. https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/795022402765914112 Talked like a champion at Carton House. https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/799363484941217792 Johnny Sexton Proved a big point last time out but won't be settling for that.

"It's performance driven," Sexton declared this week. "Turning up on the day, making sure emotionally, physically that we’re ready to go and in the right frame of mind as we were last time and then the result will come after that."

Conor Murray This lad is world-class and getting better. 10/10 performance last time out. What about that vital, vital penalty when Sexton was down. https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/795022512790892544 Jack McGrath This tweet [below] was only his second best contribution in the States. Immense. https://twitter.com/jackmc100/status/795067343625945088 Rory Best The first man to captain an Ireland team to victory over the All Blacks. Handy lad to have in a tough spot too. Tadhg Furlong Horse of a man. Not today Ben Smith! Devin Toner Line-out leader. nuisance at the breakdown and a hard-yakka Trojan. Modest too... https://www.instagram.com/p/BM1ObTrBZjz/?taken-by=sportsjoedotie Donnacha Ryan Is keeping Ultan Dillane and Iain Henderson out of the team. That is how well he is playing. CJ Stander Showed Jerome Kaino what he was all about. Bossed the breakdown. https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/794999041746726912 Sean O'Brien Two men. One brutal clear-out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVUHFFUvjKk Jamie Heaslip Rarely fails to go 80+ minutes and still play smart, clinical rugby. Beauty of a pass for Henshaw's clincher try too. The Replacements [Reasons 16-23] Sean Cronin. Cian Healy. Finlay Bealham. Iain Henderson. Josh van der Flier. Kieran Marmion. Paddy Jackson. Garry Ringrose. Four of them played a big part in the Chicago victory and the other three are the future of Irish rugby. Power, panache and each of them capable of making an impact. Joe Schmidt Every single country in world rugby would love to have this man on board when he finishes up with Ireland. Right now, and until 2019, he's ours. As clued in, demanding and inspirational as they come. Has built a team of very handy coaches [including Andy Farrell, Simon Easterby and Greg Feek], analysts, support and fitness staff. Us https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVvQvGn_6c8 Yes, us. Irish fans were at their best, and loudest, ever in 2013 when we nearly got the job done. Ireland are promising an extra 5% improvement so matching them is the least we can do. Why not us?

"We have a problem, a pandemic, with the word 'no'," wrote Conan Doherty. "That's what makes us. That's what makes the Irish. "Why can't we go and dominate? Who said we can't? "These boys don't see why not. Why not us?"

https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/797836152208261120 Never has a truer set of words been committed to SportsJOE. Let's give them every single thing we've got. Aaron Kernan joins Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour to explain the work he's doing for the Club Players Association. Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue talks Slaughtneil and a Dublin club advertising for hurlers gets a sore touch. Subscribe here on iTunes.