(CNSNews.com) –  The “All Blacks” is the nickname for New Zealand’s national rugby union team, one of the world’s best.

The “Black and Tans” was the nickname for British police recruits, often notoriously brutal, who were sent to Ireland to bolster the local force during the guerilla war against British rule just over a century ago.

President Biden evidently got the two mixed up during his nostalgia tour of the Republic of Ireland this week.

Wrapping up comments in a pub in County Louth, Biden gestured to a distant cousin of his, Rob Kearney, who played almost 100 games for Ireland between 2007 and 2019. Biden said that the tie he was wearing, featuring shamrocks, was given to him by Kearney.

“He was a hell of a rugby player, and he beat the hell out of the Black and Tans,” Biden said. He added something unintelligible, and as listeners laughed recalled that the game had taken place at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Biden said that after the game was over, his cousin “gave my brother – allegedly for me, but if it wasn’t, I still took it. I still got the tie. I wear it with great pride.”

The Chicago stadium featured a historic game between Ireland and New Zealand in 2016 which Ireland won by 40 points to 29. It was the first time in 28 games over a timespan of 111 years that an Irish side had beaten the All Blacks.

In Dublin on Thursday, National Security Council senior director for Europe Amanda Sloat was asked by a reporter whether Biden was aware that he had misspoken when he referred to the “Black and Tans.”

“I think for everyone in Ireland who is a rugby fan, it was incredibly clear that the President was talking about the All Blacks, and Ireland's defeat of the New Zealand team in 2016,” she said.

“Did he realize that right after he said it, do you know?” Sloat was asked.

“You know, I think it was – it was clear what the president was referring to,” she said. “It was certainly clear to his cousin sitting next to him who had played in that match.”

Addressing Irish lawmakers in Dublin on Thursday, Biden again mentioned Irish rugby victories against New Zealand, but this time referred to the “All Blacks.”

In that same address, Biden said he would rather have his children play rugby than American football.

Since the 2016 game in Chicago the Irish have beaten the All Blacks several times. In the lead up to this year’s rugby World Cup in France, Ireland tops the international rankings, followed by France, and with New Zealand in third place. The U.S.A. is ranked 18.