You may already have heard that Ireland have never made the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup.

Standing in their way of making history tomorrow are the most successful team in the history of the competition, who last lost a World Cup game in 2007, a narrow quarter-final defeat to France.

So do Ireland have chance of stopping the three-in-a-row seeking All Blacks? (Kick-off 11.15am, live on all RTÉ platforms).

Former Ireland and Munster scrum-half Stephen McIvor, now a sports psychologist, believes they do, if Joe Schmidt's men can tap into their groundbreaking victories over New Zealand in 2016 and 2018.

"We have an advantage that we are still rated as underdogs, which we excel under," McIvor told RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland.

"But that anchor of belief, that we can look back and we have beaten them, gives us a wherewithal and a drive.

"The key issue is getting that balance where you don't slip into an element of 'It's okay, the work is done'."

Ireland have struggled to find the imperious form they showed in 2018 this year, finishing third in the Six Nations, being handed a record beating at a World Cup warm-up match in Twickenham and suffering a shock defeat to Japan in the World Cup pool stages.

Ireland might have been ranked number one in the world only weeks ago but only victory over the proven best team will make that plausible. So how do they convince themselves they are good enough to do it?

"Most of it will be down to restructuring their thinking, looking at the positives they have done, looking back at (previous meetings with) New Zealand," says McIvor.

"This is a one-off game, so they're trying to limit any residual impact from those recent poor matches.

"The warm-up match against England, such a destruction of would have bitten down an awful lot on our confidence.

"So now they're going to look at this match purely on its own. Not even looking at (the prize of) the semi-final but looking at this one opportunity to drive home the advantage against New Zealand."

The All Blacks are renowned for their ability to rack up points even when their backs are against the wall but McIvor explains that Ireland will have undergone 'stress inoculation training' to prepare for every eventuality.

"Most teams at this stage will plan for contingency training. They will put them in scenarios: 'You're two scores down, you're five minutes into the match' and how we tactically and mentally deal with that.

"How do we emotionally come together as a team and condition ourselves to be able to overcome those stressors?

"You can see it coming out very evidently from Eddie Jones, who is a top-class coach. The English players talk about when they come to a game they are actually quite happy because it's less stressful, less demanding, speed, intensity than they face in training.

"Like anything in life, if we get conditioned to something then it becomes easier."

Johnny Sexton (L) and Rob Kearney have played 181 times for Ireland between them

The Irish starting XV has the edge in terms of combined Test caps, 882 compared to New Zealand's 784. McIvor thinks that experience could be crucial tomorrow.

"That's where Ireland have a real forte: they have a spattering of really cohesive team spirit over many years of successes," he said.

"You have the likes of Johnny Sexton's, Rob Kearney's experience, that controls the emotions and regulates the focus.

"That could stand for us because while you have phenomenal athletes within the New Zealand team they lack experience.

"That experience comes to tell when pressure comes on so if Ireland play a pressure game, if the weather helps us, then those guys are going to have a lot of questions and they might not have the experience to step up.

"I do think the leadership in the team, which is instrumental, is stronger in Ireland. With a little bit of rain, a little bit of luck and that pressure game, I think New Zealand could crack and Ireland will nip it."

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Follow Ireland v New Zealand on Saturday 19 October (kick-off 11.15am) via the live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the News Now App, watch live on RTÉ2 or listen to live match commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.