Ireland will look to win a Rugby World Cup quarter-final for the first time and extend their long winning run when they play New Zealand on Saturday.
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Since then, head coach Ian Foster's side have hammered Namibia, Italy and Uruguay, running up 240 points and conceding just 20, on their way to what was a near-certain runners-up spot after the loss to the French. If they are to do so, they will have to end Ireland's long winning run, which stretched to 17 Test matches with that clinical dismantling of the Scots and which includes a Grand Slam success earlier this year.Indeed, it was those wins, Ireland's first on New Zealand soil - they only beat the All Blacks for the first time ever in 2016 - that saw Farrell's side move to the world rankings summit, a position they have held ever since.
Hansen was forced to miss some training this week with a calf problem but is fit start while Lowe has recovered from an eye injury. Lock James Ryan misses out with a hand injury, however, meaning Ulster captain Iain Henderson starts again in the second row. Head coach Ian Foster has recalled Ethan de Groot, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith, Rieko Ioane and the Barrett brothers, Scott and Beauden.
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