EXPLAINED: Why is Chicago so important in the Ireland vs All Blacks rivalry?

Whilst the largest city in the state of Illinois plays host to an array of sports teams, rugby is far from the forefront of any sports fan living in Chi-town. With the Cubs, Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks all finding a home in the iconic backdrop, the Chicago Hounds can often feel overshadowed by other local sides as they progress through their annual Major League Rugby campaign.

Saturday ensures to put a shift in this narrative, as rugby continues to gain traction in the United States with the 2031 Men's and 2033 Women's Rugby World Cups heading to land of stars and stripes. Ireland and the All Blacks are set for a re-match some nine years in the making this weekend, but what makes the back-drop of Chicago, Illinois just quite so significant for this Autumn Nations Series opening match?

Upon the 29th meeting between New Zealand and Ireland, the odds were stacked against the men from the Emerald Isle for this exhibition clash in the Windy City. Ireland had never beaten the All Blacks in their 111 years of competitive Test matches, but New Zealand entered the fray upon the dawn of a new era following their 2015 Rugby World Cup title retention.

The All Blacks had waved goodbye to the likes of Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Kevin Mealamu, Tony Woodcock and Conrad Smith following the final, with a batch of fresh faces now donning the black jersey. Despite the new-coming names New Zealand certainly held their aura of world beaters, with the 2016 Rugby Championship title firmly held in Kiwi hands along with an imposing 18-match winning streak ahead of the Autumn Internationals.

The two sides both flew half-way across the world to meet in Chicago, and Ireland were fastest out of the gate. Tries from Jordi Murphy, CJ Stander and Conor Murray helped the Irish to a 25-8 half-time lead, with Simon Zebo bagging his side's fourth try after the interval.

New Zealand rallied back, as TJ Perenara, Ben Smith and Scott Barrett added to George Mola's first-half try, with Steve Hansen's side issuing wave upon wave of pressure. However, the All Blacks would fall short of a win for the first time since their 2015 Rugby Championship clash with the Wallabies, to end their run of dominance against the world's best rugby nations. The All Blacks fought back to move to within four points, yet a late try from Robbie Henshaw ensured that the victory would be immortalised for Ireland.

Nine years ago, the decision was made to hold this incredible clash of green and black in Chicago, in an attempt to boost rugby interest across the United States. Solider Field - the very same venue for this Saturday's contest - provided the back-drop for this 2016 Autumn International meeting, with 61,000 fans packed into the home of NFL franchise Chicago Bears.

The American football yard lines were painted over with a traditional rugby union whitewash, as Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt led his side against his homeland nation. Now, nearly a decade later, Andy Farrell returns to the helm of his side following a Summer with the British & Irish Lions, to stand across the touch-line from New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson - a man who finds himself under plenty of pressure following a record defeat to the Springboks back in September.

Chicago celebrates a historical connection to Ireland, with an estimate of 200,000 residents with Irish ancestry. Historically, Chicago's Irish population grew significantly after the 1840s Irish famine, and by 1850, one out of every five Chicagoans was an Irish immigrant, with the foreign-born Irish population peaking at almost 74,000 in 1900.

According to 2007 census figures, approximately 201,836 people of Irish ancestry live in Chicago, making it the largest European ethnic group. Areas like the Mount Greenwood neighborhood on the southwest side are among the most 'Irish' areas today, with over 40% of its residents claiming Irish ancestry. The city celebrates it's heritage every St Patrick's Day, with the Chicago River dyed green in celebration.

Chicago has seen it's fair share of history across an array of different sports. From Michael Jordan's iconic 'Last Shot' to win the 1998 NBA Finals with the Bulls, to CM Punk winning the WWE Championship in his hometown back in 2011, the Windy City is no stranger to some truly memorable sporting moments. Ireland's 2016 triumph over the All Blacks certainly joins this company, with Canterbury marking the upcoming re-match by releasing a limited edition pre-game jersey for fans to get their hands on.

The design takes direct inspiration from one of Chicago’s most iconic Irish traditions of dying the Chicago River on St Patrick’s Day. This cultural link provides the visual foundation for the jersey’s wave-like pattern, flowing across the blackness of the deep in bright shades of green and white. The result is a shirt that feels alive with movement, as though capturing the river mid-flow.