NZ advertising campaign set to mock Irish rugby team

A tongue-in-cheek advertising campaign is reportedly set to mock the Irish rugby team when they arrive in New Zealand for their three Test tour in July.

According to the NZ Herald, betting company TAB NZ are set put up a number of billboards that will poke fun at the Irish when they land in New Zealand later this month.

The boards are set to be placed at the airport, near to the player's hotel and at other key locations.

“0 wins in NZ" and “Think the flight was long? Try a 28-year unbeaten streak at Eden Park" are two of the planned ads.

Maybe the most snarky ribs the fact that the Irish team has four New Zealnders among their number. "4 Kiwis in the team. That might help your odds a little," taunts the sign in reference to scrumahlf Jamison Gibson-Park, centre Bundee Aki, flyhalf Joey Carbery and wing James Lowe, who will all be travelling back to the land of their birth.

It's an interesting take given that New Zealand have traditionally relied heavily on players born in Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. Indeed five of the six uncapped players named for the series hail from the islands.

"From when they arrive in New Zealand until the moment they step onto the field, TAB NZ will be there to remind them that their odds aren't looking good," the company's general manager Marketing and Customer Experience Jodi Williams told the NZ Herald.

"You have to go all the way back to 1994 to find the last time the All Blacks had a loss at the Garden of Eden. That was the same year Forrest Gump hit the big screen, and Friends began its glittering 10-season run on TV.

"Based on Ireland's strong showing in this year's Six Nations, this should be a great three-test series that will keep fans of both sides on the edge of their seats.”

The campaign maybe betrays the fact that New Zealand are more nervous about an inbound Irish tour then anytime in their history.

Indeed the men in green have beaten the All Blacks in three of their last five matches, since breaking their long standing duck against the side in 2016. Most recently, Ian Foster's side were hammered in Dublin last November in what was arguably one of the greatest Ireland performances of the professional era.

As the campaign points out though, the Irish have never beaten the All Blacks in New Zealand, despite coming close on a number of occasions down through the years.

Andy Farrell's men will take on the All Blacks on July 2, 9 and 16 in Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington respectively. Ireland will also play the Maori All Blacks in two mid-week matches in Hamilton and Wellington.

One thing is clear: this series is heating up nicely.