New Zealand assistant coach Jason Holland said Ireland had made the transition “very well” without Johnny Sexton at flyhalf as the two teams prepared to renew their rivalry.

The most recent edition of the Ireland-All Blacks rivalry was Sexton’s final match before his retirement, with New Zealand winning last year’s thrilling World Cup quarter-final in Paris.

Following Sexton’s departure, Jack Crowley was given a place as fly-half while Ciaran Frawley played in Ireland’s summer test series against the Springboks in South Africa.

“They’ve got a few 10-year-olds who are really stepping up,” former Munster center Holland said ahead of Friday’s match at the Aviva Stadium (8:10 p.m. GMT).

“They’ve obviously been around for a long time, inside and out, but they fit into the way Ireland plays and they understand what winning football is when Ireland play winning football.

“They’ve transitioned really well with some pretty senior guys around 10, with their 12 and 13, and Jamo (Jamison Gibson-Park) at nine has been around for a while.

“Their transition has gone pretty well from what we can see.”

When asked what he thought Ireland’s greatest strength was, Holland replied: “I liked the way they attack. Some of their lines, some of their options on the line, several options, the way they play, I really appreciate that.

“And I suppose like any good Irish team they are built on their work rate and their ability to go to war for each other, that hasn’t changed over the years has it ?

Holland spent 13 years at Munster – nine as a player and four as an assistant coach – but has ruled out the possibility of him filling the vacant head coaching role following the departure of Graham Rowntree.

“I have a really great job at the moment, which I love, so not at this point,” he said.