Two years ago on November 1, 2014, a sell-out Soldier Field crowd (66,000) of curious Americans came to see the mighty All Blacks rather than hoping for an USA Eagles upset − All Blacks won easily, 74-6. But staged on a grand scale, Soldier Field gave rugby a huge boost in the American media.
And while the Irish Shamrocks came into town as the visitors, the New Zealand All Black Ferns (leaf symbol; not to be confused with New Zealand Women’s Rugby National Team) as the hosting team, the Irish boys came with chips on their shoulders: 111 years of rugby deprivation.
