Ireland are still hurting from their last meeting with New Zealand but won't bill Friday’s game as a "revenge" mission, according to Hugo Keenan.
Such was the bitter disappointment of last October’s World Cup quarter-final defeat in Paris, an Autumn Nations Series win over the All Blacks wouldn’t come close to making up for it.
However, Friday’s clash at Aviva Stadium, the first of four Tests in November, will serve to put a little more distance between Andy Farrell’s men and the remnants of their World Cup hangover.
"But we have to view it as a fresh series back at home, the excitement around playing four brilliant sides.
"A lot of things have changed since then through playing squads and coaching staff as well.
"It's not a new cycle either but, no, I don’t think we’ll be looking at it as a revenge game.
"It’s a game against one of the top nations in the world and historically probably the best team in the world."
Ireland, who had beaten defending champions South Africa in their Pool B clash, went into the last-eight game believing their time had come and a first semi-final beckoned.
Just over a year previous, Farrell’s men claimed a 2-1 series win in New Zealand.
But a poor start had Ireland facing an uphill battle and the All Blacks, who went on to lose the final by a point to the Springboks, edged the tie 28-24.
The Six Nations champions dominated most of the match stats that evening, having more possession, territory, runs, offloads, while New Zealand had two players sin-binned.
Keenan was asked what he felt could have gotten his side over the line that night at the Stade de France.
"Yeah, it is nearly as simple as the bounce of a ball, isn't it?" said the 28-year-old Leinster full-back.
"That's why these games are so exciting, that’s why Test rugby is so brilliant at the moment and why it is so competitive, so many teams can beat each other.
"That's also why it made it so tough of a loss that day, that it could have gone either way...statistically we might have won a few battles but that is why rugby is so entertaining, why everybody loves it so much.
"It can often come down to that bounce a ball, a decision, an injury and so it could have been a number of things."
Keenan (above) is back in the international fold after switching to Sevens following Leinster’s Champions Cup final loss to Toulouse.
He missed the province’s URC quarter and semi-final, plus Ireland’s tour of South Africa, while the Sevens failed to make the semi-finals in Paris.
"Everybody has been very welcoming," he said.
"I suppose I got the brunt of the slagging when I saw them in the HPC [high-performance centre] in Blanchardstown back in June when I was with the Sevens crew.
"I’d say most people have probably, not forgotten about it, but it’s old news now.
"I have been back with Leinster for the last two or three months and it was great to see the other provincial guys, catching up with them was good."
In Keenan’s absence for the Springboks series, which ended in a draw, Farrell sprung a surprise by selecting erstwhile centre Jamie Osborne at full-back, a call that was widely acclaimed after two assured outings by the 22-year-old.
"He's been brilliant," said Keenan, who is in line for a 40th cap if named in the match-day squad on Wednesday.
"I think he has been knocking on the door for a while and there is just a lot of competition there.
"We'd seen what he can do and how well he can in the blue jersey with Leinster and it was cool to see him in that toughest of environments and going so well, and in a position he hadn't too much experience with which is a testament to him.
"Yeah, it is good to get a bit of competition and hopefully push each other along."
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