"Not on my watch." Whether it was Ian Jones, Richie McCaw, Justin Marshall or Kieran Read. When you spoke with an All Blacks player, before Soldier Field 2016, those words would come up.
New Zealand lives and breathes rugby. It is very often front-page news and the lead item in the nightly news. When the ABs are humming, the entire nation ticks along better.
I remember being in Auckland when New Zealand ended a 24-year wait to win another World Cup. That final, against France, was far from pretty but not one Kiwi cared how their side got over the line. After years of being the best team in the world between World Cups, the men in black were champions again and there was a collective swagger about the place.
Many New Zealanders pride themselves on the dominance and sheer talent of the All Blacks, much like us Irish do over our craic-making abilities and our Eurovision record. They are badges of honour.
So it should not surprise you that the majority of Kiwis were fully aware of their winning records over Ireland and Scotland. Ian Jones played 79 Tests for New Zealand between 1990 and 1999. Back in 2014, he told me:
"Most All Blacks have a keen sense of history. 'Not on my watch' was a phrase we had, as players, and I'm sure that extends to the current crop."
Before 2016, Ireland had played New Zealand 28 times and lost 27 times. Back in 1973, there was a drawn game at Lansdowne Road, with Barry McGann narrowly missing on a conversion attempt that would have won it for Ireland.
McGann felt bad enough, at the time. Imagine telling him, back then, it would take 43 more years before we finally got over the hump.
From an Irish perspective, the All Blacks have long been seen as the standard-bearers in world rugby. The team we always aspired to be. The side whose respect we craved so much.
We came to close to the big result that would earn that respect on a few occasions, over the years - 1973, 1978, 2001, 2006, 2012 and 2013 - but New Zealand would always pull it out of the bag. "Not on my watch," those All Blacks legends told me, whenever Ireland claiming an historic win would be mentioned. Kiwis know their rugby history and no-one wanted to be on the team that lost to Ireland for the first time.
McCaw said as much to me in Chicago, two days out from that first ever Soldier Field meeting against Ireland, in 2016. He had retired after the 2015 World Cup win and was in town for some corporate and media work. The Chicago Cubs had, that same week, ended an 108-year wait for World Series glory and Ireland, 111 years without a win over the All Blacks, sensed their long hoodoo could be at an end.
The most underrated part of Ireland's victory over New Zealand, at Soldier Field, was how they went all-out attack and eventually ran the world champions ragged. They led 25-8 at half-time and did not rest on that. Simon Zebo scored, early in the second half, and it was 32-8 but Ireland did not let up.
Rob Kearney recently recalled how, after Robbie Henshaw scored a try to make it 40-29 with 90 seconds to go, he returned to the Ireland half and shouted at everyone, "Next job. Next job." The haunting memories of 2013's last-gasp defeat were still fresh in the mind but it was Conor Murray that told him the job was done. There would be no comeback, this time. They had done it.
Team captains Kieran Read of New Zealand, left, and Rory Best of Ireland lead their side's onto the pitch ahead of the 2016 match at Soldier Field in Chicago, USA. (Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)
Kieran Read on the evocative Anthony Foley tribute
In December, Kieran Read was doing interviews with Irish media as he helped to promote 'The Toughest Traits'.
In October 2016, he became the first All Blacks captain to end up on the losing side to Ireland. Just over eight years on, he smiled warmly as he recalled the match - knowing he had been part of an almighty Test match.
He spoke poignantly of the Ireland players facing The Haka in a figure of 8, in tribute to Anthony Foley, who had passed away just four weeks before the game. Read said;
"We had been told, in advance (of the tribute). There were really tough circumstances for them, around Anthony Foley. We knew they were going to do something, and we wanted to pay our respects in that space, too.
"It was pretty emotional for the Irish players, obviously. It's pretty cool in rugby that you can have those moments to pay your respects to the legends."
Ireland players, including captain Rory Best, centre, face the New Zealand 'Haka', at Soldier Field in Chicago, USA. (Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)
Dating back to that Ireland win over New Zealand, in 2016, the two nations have won five Test matches apiece.
Ireland followed up Soldier Field with wins in Dublin, in 2018 and 2021, before coming from 1-0 down, in the summer of 2022, to win a memorable New Zealand Test Series 2-1.
The stick used to beat Ireland is one the Kiwis would be fully familiar with - that they are not able to reproduce their best when it really counts, at a World Cup. In 2019 and 2023, the ABs knocked Ireland out at the quarter final stage.
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'The Rematch' is vitally important for this Ireland team
In the next few months, we still have the 2025 Six Nations to wrap up, an Ireland 'Tier Two' summer tour in Europe and the Lions Tour to Australia. There is so much to look forward to.
Once 'The Rematch' was confirmed between Ireland and New Zealand, back at Soldier Field on November 1st, it was hard not to look ahead. For Ireland, it is vital they beat New Zealand again.
In the last two games between the sides, New Zealand have proved more effective than any other Test nation in shutting Ireland down. The laments of the last World Cup and our November defeat, at Aviva Stadium, were that Ireland did not play anywhere near their best. Truth is, New Zealand did not let us. They have played cup rugby, slowed the game down and shut off areas we are usually strong in - quick rucks, solid set-pieces and aerial prowess.
It felt like a real rivalry was growing, heading into that World Cup quarter final in 2023, but the All Blacks have twice rubbed our faces in it. They are the side with the edge again. They target our strengths and turn them into weaknesses, then crow about it at full-time (thanks, Ian Foster and Rieko Ioane).
Soldier Field in 2016 was the launch-pad for what would become Ireland's 2018 Grand Slam and World Rugby Team of the Year success. Eight of the match-day 23, from that historic day, would go on to win another Grand Slam in 2023.
Finally toppling the All Blacks gave Irish rugby belief they could not only mix it with the best in the world, but start regularly beating them. That away Test Series win, in 2022, is one of the greatest sporting achievements of this country.
Ireland need another win in Chicago to remind the other nations, and those that doubt, they are not going anywhere yet. There are scores to settle and markers to lay down, as the next World Cup slowly comes into focus.
