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Ireland 'more than capable' of beating South Africa
Andy Farrell expects world champions South Africa to be “twice as good” during the second Test in Durban but believes Ireland can still salvage a series draw.
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The Springboks will bid to cement their status as Test rugby’s top-ranked nation on Saturday following last weekend’s 27-20 success in Pretoria.
Ireland have not lost consecutive Test matches since round two of the 2021 Six Nations and head coach Farrell hopes to see significant room for improvement from his side.
“It was a proper Test match and I get all that but when we strip it back from our side, we’re disappointed,” he told reporters, speaking of the series opener.
“I’ve no doubt South Africa are going to be twice as good this weekend hence why we need to move pretty quickly this week in terms of the honesty of where we’re at and what we need to do going forward.
“It’s our last chance to have a crack at what is the best team in the world at this moment in time and we relish that opportunity.
“I think when you put on a green shirt, you’ve always got a chance. If we get the performance that we’re after, we’re more than capable of winning.”
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Ireland have been forced into three changes, with hooker Ronan Kelleher, scrum-half Conor Murray and centre Garry Ringrose replacing injured trio Dan Sheehan, Craig Casey and Bundee Aki.
Farrell has also dropped skipper Peter O’Mahony to the bench in order to bring James Ryan back into the second row, with number eight Caelan Doris taking on the captaincy.
South Africa, meanwhile, have named an unchanged 23, including selecting the most experienced starting XV in the nation’s history.
Farrell supports claims the Springboks’ current crop of players is their best ever.
“You look at the strength in depth they’ve got and the quality they’ve got coming off the bench and it says everything where South Africa are at at this moment in time,” he said.
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“I’ve heard you guys (the media) and many experts as well talk about whether this is the best South Africa group that they’ve ever had.
“Well, I certainly go along with that type of feeling myself, hence why we’re privileged to be able to come over here and test ourselves.”
Comment section is full of whinging Irishmen 😂😂😂
Cry me a River…….,Oh!!!!!
Every team is “more than capable of beating SA”. Does anyone recall how annoyed the English players were after the 2019 RWC final? They knew they were the better team, so why did they get the wrong medal?
Ireland did not really lose to SA last weekend. It was a magical leprechaun thing in which the score said they lost, but a lot of blah blah stuff proves that they are victims of celestial badness. They were the moral winners. Obviously. The Boks only won on the scoreboard, but that’s not what deep thinkers care about.
Tomorrow will be no different.
Indeed. All they need is a compliment ref to show up and do their job.
Barnes, Whitehouse and Pearce have handed the inferior team their undeserved victories.
Such a stain on the sport.
Good news that there is reportedly fire in the belly at training this week. We need a massive uptick from that terrible performance last week. SA found it very difficult to score last week. An improvement in emotional energy and accuracy and attitude will see us put it up to them big time. I think we are fitter and I don’t see them clawing a deficit back.