Ireland's win series win in New Zealand will have raised quite a few eyebrows throughout the world of rugby.
It is very rare for any team to win a game on Kiwi soil, much less overcome them in a three-match test series. In fact, it is the first time since 1994 that a team have managed to best the All Blacks over three fixtures.
Saturday's game has understandable caused quite a bit of excitement in this part of the world, although the response in New Zealand is perhaps even more telling.
There is a sense in the country that their current group is not good enough to compete with the best teams in the world, while they should not even be mentioned in the same breath as great All Blacks side of years gone by. Their coaching ticket is now under massive pressure.
However, could yesterday's result actually help them in the long run?
Ireland players celebrate with the trophy after their side's victory in the Steinlager Series match against New Zealand. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Stuart Barnes has interesting New Zealand theory
New Zealand have been so far below par in recent times that some immediate changes are looking increasingly likely. Head coach Scott Foster could well be relieved of his duties, becoming the first ever All Blacks coach to be sacked as a result.
Should that happen, it is expected that the job would be offered to Scott Robertson. The 47-year old has been building a hugely impressive CV in recent times, most notably with Crusaders in Super Rugby.
Writing in his column in The Times, Stuart Barnes said that he feels Ireland may have inadvertently saved New Zealand's chances of winning next year's World Cup by beating them in this test series.
A great series for Ireland and one in which they have stamped a psychological superiority all over New Zealand, yet paradoxically they may have saved the World Cup hopes of the men whose heads are currently lost in those great big fluffy long white clouds...
The Barrett Brothers, Aaron Smith; there is world class all over the place. But something has gone wrong.
That something is off the field. Ian Foster had a subsidiary role to play in creating the majestic 2015 World Cup winning All Blacks. As head coach he now has the primary role in stripping the awe-inspiring nickname from them.
They have the wrong manager and the wrong captain in Sam Cane. A fortnight ago I set out a case for the madness of picking a player not good enough for the All Blacks to end up leading New Zealand.
A year and a few months out from the World Cup and New Zealand have the time and players to get off the plane in Paris as All Blacks. Had they nicked the series with something spectacular from some individual, nothing would have changed, despite the obvious need.
As it is there will now be a forensic examination of the situation. Foster seems set to fall. If he remains New Zealand will fall at the quarter-final to either their Irish bogeymen or South Africa.
If action is immediate and Scott Robertson is offered the post ASAP, the all-conquering Crusaders coach can galvanise a great rugby country.
You can read the article in full here.
As a nation with sky high standards, New Zealand are unlikely to persist with a coach that lead them to a lacklustre series defeat against northern hemisphere opposition. While many had already given up on Foster, this could have been the push that was needed to get him out the door.
Should New Zealand become rejuvenated under a new coach in time for next year's World Cup, it is unlikely that many teams will be thanking Ireland sparking such a revolution.
SEE ALSO: Dejected New Zealand Media Reaction After Ireland Break The All Blacks
