Brian O’Driscoll says beating the All Blacks in a three-Test series in New Zealand would be a greater achievement than Ireland breaking their World Cup quarter-final hoodoo.

Ireland levelled the three-Test series by bouncing back from their opening 42-19 loss in Auckland with a convincing 23-12 win in Dunedin, setting up a decider in Wellington on Saturday.

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The win at the Forsyth Barr Stadium was Ireland’s first-ever victory in New Zealand and their fourth in the past seven Tests against the All Blacks.

However, the All Blacks have not lost a home Test series since 1994, which shows just how big of a feat it would be for Ireland to get the job done in Wellington.

Speaking to ‘Off The Ball’ on Wednesday evening, former Ireland centre O’Driscoll said it would be a bigger triumph than finally getting the team beyond the quarter-finals in a World Cup, something they have never done in the tournament’s history.

“I think a series victory in New Zealand is greater than a semi-final of a World Cup, to be honest, it is,” O’Driscoll said,

“It’s something tangible … there is something at the end to hold on to to be able to go, ‘By the way, we beat New Zealand in their own backyard’, versus ‘we did great, we got to a semi-final.

“I think a more balanced argument would be – the prospect of getting to a [World Cup] final versus a series victory,” the former Ireland captain continued.

“Going into a World Cup final with it still to play versus a series victory against the All Blacks, I think that’s more on par.”

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