All Blacks

The legendary McCaw became a commercial helicopter pilot after ending his illustrious rugby career following the All Blacks' World Cup triumph last year.

McCaw has been ferrying rescue teams Kaikoura, close to the epicentre of a quake which struck early on Tuesday morning, where people have been stranded due to landslides.

He told the New Zealand Herald: "We took the Fire Service just north and south of Kaikoura to check out all the slips and make sure everyone was accounted for."

RNZ reports the All Blacks claimed the Team of the Year award after breaking the record for most successive wins by a tier one nation while Hansen has won his fourth Coach of the Year title.

Hansen beat out England coach Eddie Jones for the title, Jones' side has gone unbeaten this season.

The All Blacks won their seventh successive Team of the Year award, beating Olympic champions - the Fijian Sevens team, to the title.

The two side's play each other again in Dublin on Sunday.

The All Blacks will expect to provide Ireland with instant payback after their recent 40-29 shock loss in Chicago, their only defeat to the Irish in 111 years.

The All Blacks will have lock Brodie Retallick back and Schmidt expects his side will face the toughest of tests if they are to emulate South Africa's side of 2009 by beating the All Blacks for a second time in two weeks.

But coach Steve Hansen was satisfied.

"It bodes well for next week, we have a lot of people in form," he said, referring to a rematch against Ireland set for Dublin next weekend.

"Above all, it bodes well for the future, next week and beyond."

New Zealand ran the hosts ragged, scoring five tries in the first half, Malakai Fekitoa starting the rout after three minutes with Charlie Faumuina, Patrick Tuipulotu, Israel Dagg and Wyatt Crockett all going over for further scores before the break.

The side includes five new caps - flanker Reed Prinsep, halfback Billy Guyton and wing Ambrose Curtis who will start, while New Zealand under 20s captain and hooker Leni Apisai and Waikato skipper Whetu Douglas will make their debuts off the bench.

Ash Dixon again captains the Maori All Blacks from hooker, with Otere Black directing the team from first-five.

Coach Colin Cooper says the win over the USA last week was satisfying but they were also looking forward to the unique experience of playing in Limerick.

Having had the wind blown out of their sails by Ireland in Chicago, New Zealand’s near seven-year reign at the top of the World Rugby Rankings is not looking quite so secure.

The All Blacks conceded 40 points for only the fifth time in history as the inspired Irish recorded their first-ever win over the All Blacks in 111 years of trying.

In what was a superb advert for the game, Ireland blazed into a 25-8 half-time lead following tries for Jordi Murphy, CJ Stander and Conor Murray, before the All Blacks threatened to pull off one of their infamous second-half comebacks.

Moala has a serious elbow injury and is heading home, though he doesn't require surgery.

All Blacks second-five Ryan Crotty will miss the next two tests against Italy in Rome and Ireland in Dublin with a hamstring strain he picked up during the historic Chicago defeat.

Crotty should be available for the tour-ending test against France in Paris.

Seta Tamanivalu has been called into the squad as cover and will join the team in Rome having just played for the Barbarians in London.

"History in Chicago. The long wait is over." That is how the Irish Independent reported the win, splashing the result large on its website.

"Ireland's class of 2016 stamped their names into the history books as Joe Schmidt's side dispatched New Zealand 40-29 in Chicago," wrote the Irish Times just after the win.

The ABs themselves were gracious in defeat.

And the mood back in Ireland itself was clearly riotous.

Irish fans at a Wellington pub were in an understandably celebratory mood after the match.

Compared with his country, the former ace, regarded as Australia's best rugby player of all time, said the Kiwis were more active and culturally attached to the island nations.

He made the statement in light of the New Zealand All Blacks' tour to Samoa last year and the Super Rugby match between the Waikato Chiefs and the Canterbury Crusaders in Suva this year.

"I don't think Australia does enough to develop rugby in the Pacific Islands, I think New-Zealand does a bit more," Ella said.

The world champions will head to the United States to take on Ireland in Chicago on 5 November, before jetting to Europe for Tests against Italy, Ireland again and France.

With Hansen's tried-and-tested first team feeling the effects of a long season for club and country, All Blacks management intend to keep shuffling their decks.

Among the candidates for a prominent role on tour include Blues midfielder Rieko Ioane, who may debut against Italy, Chiefs playmaker Damian McKenzie and lock Patrick Tuipulotu.