Kidney's side will be looking for an historic first win over the All Blacks when they meet at Croke Park ©

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Players/Officials: Declan Kidney

Teams: Ireland

Declan Kidney has warned his Ireland players they cannot afford any lapses in concentration if they are to prevail over New Zealand.

The rivals clash at Croke Park today with the All Blacks, reinforced by the return of big guns Dan Carter and Richie McCaw, starting as heavy favourites. Ireland have lost the last three Tests against the world's best team by 11 points or fewer, giving them an invaluable insight into what it takes to defeat them.

"When you're playing the best team in the world you know there aren't going to be many chinks in their armour," said Kidney. "You have to play at your best for 80-plus minutes. Even if you switch off for a moment the game will be gone from you.

"We can't afford to switch off until we get back to the dressing room. That's the challenge we must front up to. This game challenges everything - the skills, concentration and composure that these players have spent their lives improving."

Kidney is an unashamed admirer of his opposite number with New Zealand, Graham Henry. "When Graham was in charge of the 2005 Lions he was good enough to let me into a few of their training sessions," he said. "It feels a bit like I'm coming up against my former teacher. He's a good man and his record his excellent."

Brian O'Driscoll will lead Ireland out for the 50th time, becoming only the sixth player to reach the milestone. "When you play teams like the All Blacks there are tensions outside of rugby circles," said the Ireland skipper.

"When the All Blacks come to town you can be littered throughout papers for 10 days or so. From a players' perspective you have to get your preparation right to be in with a chance of competing with them. It's about being there with five minutes to go."

All week an air of quiet confidence has run through the Ireland camp for Kidney's second match in charge. New Zealand have never lost to the Irish in 21 previous encounters but O'Driscoll is not dazzled my the All Black mystique.

"We don't have a mental block against New Zealand, rather in the past we've played for 60 or 65 minutes, sometimes even 70 minutes," he said. "But they punish you when you fall away, so it's definitely an 80/85 minute match. Having never beaten them, there's not a huge amount of pressure on us.

"We don't get caught up in the All Black aura or mystique, perhaps that changed with professionalism. We've beaten sides who have won against New Zealand, so why shouldn't we be capable of beating them ourselves?"