Since then, so much has changed. Here is all you need to know about this massive clash.
What time is kick-off?
Kick-off at Soldier Field is at 8.10pm, and former Ireland international Barry Murphy will sing Ireland’s Call, in what will be a fitting moment for the Munster man, who retired early in 2011, before starting a band – Hermitage Green – alongside his brother Dan.
Since then, Hermitage Green have released three studio albums and toured the world. Murphy will also sing at the remaining three November Internationals in Dublin, a full circle moment for the man who never won a cap at home.
How can I watch?
The game will be live on Virgin Media One, with TV coverage starting from 7.0pm.
Team news
Ireland captain Caelan Doris appears to be winning his race to be fit for Saturday’s clash with New Zealand in Chicago, but whether he starts for the first time since injuring his shoulder in the Champions Cup semi-final defeat to Northampton in May.
Ireland have said that all 36 players came through last week’s training in Chicago, and are available for selection against New Zealand.
Centres Bundee Aki (hip) and Robbie Henshaw (groin) look to have shaken off recent knocks, while Jack Conan (knee) and Tommy O’Brien (back), who were both late withdrawals from Leinster’s defeat to Munster, have also been passed fit.
O’Brien is expected to start on the right wing in light of Mack Hansen being ruled out with a foot injury. Jamie Osborne is pushing for a start at full-back, as Hugo Keenan (hip) is also absent.
Meanwhile, All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson also confirmed that all 36 of his players are available for selection.
Ireland boss Andy Farrell will name his Ireland team at 1pm (Irish time) on Thursday.
What has happened since 2016?
Ireland ended a 111-year wait for a victory over the All Blacks in 2016, and while the Chicago billboards are billing this as ‘the rematch’, a lot has happened in this fixture since.
The 40-29 victory ended a 28-match losing streak against New Zealand, and it also ended an 18-match winning run for the southern-hemisphere giants
Ireland have won four of their last nine fixtures against New Zealand, including a historic 2-1 summer series victory, their first on New Zealand soil.
Joe Schmidt left Ireland at the end 2019, after a final year which included a crushing World Cup quarter-final defeat tot he All Blacks in 2019. Four years later, he was the All Blacks attack coach who masterminded their 2023 World Cup quarter-final victory over Farrell’s men.
Including 2016, it is 5-5 in the head-to-head.
It is also not Ireland’s first time back at the oldest stadium in the NFL, after a Jordan Larmour hat-trick inspired Ireland to a 2018 victory over Italy.
What form are the teams in?
It was a tough Six Nations for Ireland, who finished third behind France, after a bruising six-try home defeat to the eventual champions and failing to inspire in the other three fixtures, as England, who lost to Ireland in the opening round, leapfrogged interim-manager Simon Easterby’s men into second place.
With most of the current squad and coaching staff on Lions duty, Paul O’Connell led an experimental Ireland team on their summer tour to Georgia and Portugal which delivered two convincing victories.
Many thought that last November’s victory in Dublin would be a springboard for Scott ‘Razor’ Robertson tenure with New Zealand, but since then he has lost coaching staff member Leon McDonald, and this week former Munster man Jason Holland announced he will be leaving after the tour.
They defeated a developmental France 3-0 in the summer, before losing the Rugby Championship on points difference after suffering a record 43-10 defeat to South Africa and losing to Argentina.