New Zealand v Ireland: The ‘small 1%’ that could help break the Eden Park run

Murray said it had struggled with something on the old three-game tour of New Zealand that would have preceded this year’s inaugural Nations Championship.

“When you’ve lost two games, the last week is long. It’s tough and it builds pressure,” added Murray.

“But on the other hand, when you’re driving a bus to Eden Park in the evening and it’s all lit up in floodlights, it’s special, it’s cool and it ignites something exciting.

“There’s nerves, but then there’s, ‘Jeez this is where it’s at, it’s all black away’.”

Paul Marshall, who toured New Zealand with Ireland in 2012 but was not against the All Blacks, said it was “suffocating”.

“It was fun, we were staying just outside Auckland in Takapuna and there was a wee tennis club across the road from the hotel,” he said.

“Being on the Irish tour and being in New Zealand was brand new to me, and there was a sign that said ‘Bored with rugby? Try tennis’.

“I couldn’t believe it, every shop you went into was talking about rugby.

“It’s very different and it’s suffocating at times”.