The All Blacks have paid Ireland a huge compliment on Twitter

Paul OConnell, Ireland, congratulates New Zealand captain Richie McCaw after the game.

New Zealand have included Ireland in their top 10 moments of 2014, even though the teams never locked horns in the calendar year.

They wrote: “Moment nine: Eventually it was the clash that we all wanted to see in 2014, but didn’t… @AllBlacks @IrishRugby.”

Ireland’s narrow defeat at Twickenham was their only defeat of the year and they accounted for South Africa and Australia in the November internationals to rise to third in the World Rankings.

After last year’s nail-biting defeat at the Aviva, the Kiwis clearly want to go to battle with Joe Schmidt’s men again. The World Cup next October would be a fitting stage for two world class sides to go to war………… see more at :- http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/international-rugby/the-all-blacks-have-paid-ireland-a-huge-compliment-on-twitter-30853500.html