Farrell and Crowley ready for All Black buffeting in Windy City

Just one more sleep before Ireland take on their old buddies New Zealand in Chicago and Gerry Thornley runs his eye over the side Andy Farrell has picked for the challenge. Among his starters is the “Bangor Bruiser” himself, Stuart McCloskey, while, as expected, Jack Crowley has been rewarded for his impressive start to the season by being named at outhalf. Gerry hears from Crowley who insists that last season’s experience, when Sam Prendergast had a run of six successive starts for Ireland, did not knock him.

In the absence of the injured Hugo Keenan and Mack Hansen, Farrell has named a new-look back three, Leinster’s Jamie Osborne, Tommy O’Brien and James Lowe. Their challenge, writes John O’Sullivan, is to gel as both a defensive and attacking unit.

Gerry also has news on the All Blacks’ line-up, which has “fallen along anticipated lines”, while Gregor Paul brings the ‘View from New Zealand’, the game in Chicago set to be “one of the biggest single pay-days” in the country’s rugby history.

And now that we’re midway through a World Cup cycle, what way should Ireland evolve? Nathan Johns has a notion that perfecting their counterattack is the route for Ireland to take.

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In Gaelic games, Dublin footballer David Byrne has reiterated his call for the GAA to sever its ties with Allianz, the company that, according to the UN, has played a “critical role in funding the ongoing assault on Gaza” by buying Israeli bonds.

In soccer, Paul Buttner hears Stephen Bradley salute his Shamrock Rovers title-winning players, although their season’s work is far from done - there’s still the Conference League and an FAI Cup final against Cork City to come.

Ian O’Riordan, meanwhile, catches up with Hollie Elliott, the triathlete who has switched allegiances from Britain to Ireland and is hoping to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

And in racing, Brian O’Connor previews the 42nd Breeders’ Cup, the sport’s own Ryder Cup which, thus far, has “escaped the worst jingoistic excesses” of golf’s version. Will Frankie Dettori produce a fairytale finish to one of the great racing careers? No one would be surprised, considering his capacity “for a Hollywood flourish”, but opportunity knocks too for “Irish riders at the other end of the career span”.

TV Watch: Virgin Media Two has live coverage from day one of the Breeders Cup in California (from 8.0pm) - with 14 Grade One races over the two days and €34 million in prize money up for grabs, it’s quite a big do.