Donal Lenihan believes Ireland are in a "brilliant place" as he tipped Andy Farrell's side to earn a historic Rugby World Cup quarter-final win over New Zealand on Saturday.
The world number one ranked side beat Scotland comprehensively in their final pool game this past weekend in Paris to make it four wins from four in Pool B, including the enthralling victory over reigning world champions South Africa two weeks ago.
Four years ago, Ireland's tournament ended at the hands of the All Blacks in the last eight but since then Farrell's squad have beaten the Kiwis in a series on their own patch and will be hoping to come out on top again with the significant carrot of reaching a World Cup semi-final for the first time on the line at the Stade de France on 14 October.
"I don't think this New Zealand team is up there where they've been in the past. But they're competitive, they're hungry," Lenihan told RTÉ Sport.
"But right now I think Ireland are in a brilliant place to take them on.
"I fancy Ireland. New Zealand will be better but I just think that series win in New Zealand last summer, you can't take away what the players learned on that.
"And the fear and the aura that's around the All Blacks, the fear that maybe Ireland had in the past going into games like that, we won't be beaten for going in there with an inferiority complex, that's for sure."
However, he also pinpointed factors that Ireland will need to contend with if they are to have any hope of coming out on top, including former head coach Joe Schmidt's presence on the All Blacks' coaching staff.
"We're in a good place but New Zealand have been waiting in the long grass for over a year," he said.
"I don't think they're as clinical as New Zealand teams we've seen in the past but yet they've been waiting for us.
"You've the Joe Schmidt factor as well which I think will probably dominate the narrative for the week and I do think it is going to be significant."
Listen to live commentary of Ireland v New Zealand on Saturday on RTÉ Radio 1, or follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app.
