All Blacks announce revenge mission at Munster

Revisiting the scene of a defeat is not in New Zealand's psyche, but needs must. In November, the All Blacks will play a midweek game against Munster to mark the 30th anniversary of the Irish province's 12-0 win over Graham Mourie's tourists.

"One hundred thousand people say they were at Thomond Park that day and 90,000 of them are liars," Gerry McLoughlin, a member of the Munster front row in 1978, said. "I know why they do it."

On this tour, after meeting Australia in Hong Kong, the All Blacks will play Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. The match against Munster will mark the opening of a redeveloped Thomond Park on 18 November.

It is more about money than nostalgia. The NZRU has announced a hefty loss and needs to prevent players from joining clubs in Europe. Previously, any All Black doing so could kiss their Test career goodbye. Now, the stand-off Daniel Carter is expected to move to France. The NZRU will call it a "sabbatical" and Carter will be welcomed back in the summer of 2009.