Ireland have now lost their past three games with New Zealand
While much of the build-up to Ireland's Soldier Field rematch with the All Blacks focused on a famous Irish win in 2016, it was hard not to think of the 2023 World Cup in the aftermath.
A lot of the ingredients were there.
In the 24 hours leading up to Ireland's 26-13 loss on Saturday, the number of green jerseys in Downtown Chicago grew significantly, evoking memories of two years ago when a huge legion of fans followed Ireland to Paris for another All Blacks tussle on neutral soil.
The Stade de France story ended in heartache. This transatlantic adventure never carried the same era-defining qualities, but it will still cut deep.
