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So-called 'world's best' Ireland set for Springbok reality check
The kegs of Guinness have been emptied and the confetti has all been swept away. Now that Ireland have secured a second consecutive Six Nations title, attention turns to a heavyweight clash that will categorically prove which team is the undisputed best in the world: Andy Farrell’s Irish, or the double world champion Springboks.
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It seems neither group really wants the label just yet. Despite Finn Russell, Steve Borthwick, Sam Warburton and a host of prominent voices hailing Ireland as the game’s number one team, Farrell himself has shifted the accolade south to the Springboks. For his part, Rassie Erasmus swatted aside the conversation in a recent press conference.
Fine. If they won’t get into it, we will. So let us pick at the entrails and cast our gaze into a crystal ball. A lot can change in four months, and no doubt these words will blow up in my face if any of the predictions below prove to be even slightly off. With that said, here’s why South Africa will claim a two-nil series victory and, in doing so, end an eight-year winless streak against Ireland.
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Let’s start with our feet in the past. When Ireland arrived in South Africa in June 2016 uncertainty hung heavy in the air. These were not the titanic iterations we have today but two groups finding their feet. Joe Schmidt’s tourists – with Farrell serving as defence coach – had spluttered their way through that year’s Six Nations campaign, finishing third with only two wins. What’s more, the previous year was marked by a disappointing quarter-final exit at the World Cup.
South Africa were a work in progress. This was Allister Coetzee’s first assignment as head coach. In a squad of 31, 17 would go on to win the World Cup in 2019 though 20 players had fewer than 15 Test caps under their belt.
Ireland won a shambolic opening game in Cape Town, 20-26, their first ever victory over the Springboks in South Africa. But that only woke the bear. The Boks won the next two Tests and with them the series. These weren’t blockbuster performances but, at the time, it felt as if some sort of cosmic balance had been restored.
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That is what the Springboks do; more often than not, they win games they’re supposed to win. When a team triumphs by a solitary point on three consecutive occasions to claim a World Cup, it is South Africa, and no one else, that gets over the line. Dismiss this as happenstance, but then take it up with New Zealand’s Will Jordan who recently said that it was “no fluke”.
All the great teams have this aura. The English of 2003 and the All Blacks under Richie McCaw had the same sense of indomitability. Ireland, as they’ve shown, don’t quite have that yet. They offered glimpses of it by winning a series in New Zealand and then a Six Nations grand slam a year later, but another quarter-final exit at the World Cup proved they couldn’t rise when weighted down by expectation. Their loss to England this month further enhances this argument.
Which means they’ll arrive in South Africa having received a reality check but still buoyed by the hype that surrounds them. Hype, however, marches in lockstep with pressure. Only one of our protagonists seemingly has the stuff to cope with it.
Of course there are more pragmatic rugby reasons why the Springboks should be confident. Home crowds play a role in elite sport and the South African public will be baying for what they would regard as retribution for Ireland’s hubris. They’ve already claimed Ireland’s unofficial fan song as their own, bastardising it, twisting it to offer fealty to Erasmus. Now, having bought every ticket available in Pretoria and Durban, they’ll create an intimidating atmosphere for their guests, especially at Loftus which, at the best of times, is as welcoming as a Roman slaughterhouse.
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Then there’s the altitude. Not a factor on the coast in Durban but it will come into play in Pretoria. Given this is (criminally) a two-Test series, that first encounter could be decisive, forcing the loser to chase the game in the second. With South Africa able to effectively field a second pack, it is easy to envisage tiring Irish forwards running out gas in the closing stages. Unless they have a lead come the 65th minute, they could get blown away.
Speaking of second packs, Ireland adopted a six-two bench split in three of their five Six Nations matches. It worked against Italy and France (who also went with the same strategy) but combusted against England. This was seen as a victory for the spirit of rugby against the impending suffocation caused by lumbering meaty men. This is overly simplistic. Instead, the focus should be on Ireland’s backs not having enough versatility to cope when tasked with a positional shift, and the lack of an all-round game from some key forwards.
This is not a problem for South Africa. Damian Willemse, like Frans Steyn before him, can play in six positions in the backline. Canan Moodie can operate across five positions. Grant Williams is faster than most Test wingers. Pieter-Steph du Toit and Franco Mostert could play in either the back or second row. What’s more, South Africa’s penchant for the six-two seems to be a ploy catered to their strengths and not one born out of the desire to shoe-horn in an ageing captain. With respect to the great Peter O’Mahony, the extra forward on Ireland’s bench appeared to be a counterweight to his waning powers.
England proved that if you get in the face of the Irish if you cram bodies in their well-oiled machine and stifle their continuity you can beat them. No other team disrupts the opposition like South Africa. They remain the masters of the rush defence and, unlike their World Cup game against Ireland, when they stubbornly refused to go to the line-out as if they were holding back cards, they’ll let rip with everything they’ve got in July.
Because this series matters to South Africa. For more than a decade the Springboks lived in the shadow of the All Blacks. Now, with two World Cups and a British & Irish Lions series, they’ve forged a dynasty. Or, should I say forging? They’re not done yet. Taking the scalp of a truly brilliant Irish team would underline their supremacy. And there is nothing more dangerous in rugby than a Springboks side on a mission.
Very interested to see what the Boks attack is like with Tony Brown involved.
That man has an incredible rugby mind, and the South African backs are absolute weapons.
It may take a few games or even a season or two before we really start seeing the results, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Ireland got a bit of a shock.
noone does hubris quite like the Safas
Transparent troll!
Ireland have the structures and discipline to stay in the game against SA. But their attack has lost its edge, partly through lack of Sexton, but mostly through defenses figuring them out.
If Ireland dish up the average stuff in SA that they produced in the 6N they will be making losing speeches about lessons learned and opportunities to improve.
Hopefully the pundits will keep telling Ireland that they are fabulously good. The Boks love over-confident opponents.
Not just the lack of a Sexton, but Ringrose and Hansen too. Don’t get me wrong Henshaw did a great job, but is not as graceful or as quick as Ringer. Hansen is a workhorse of a winger and you need 4 sets of eyes on him at all times. Nash is good but not at that level. Crowley has his own attacking characteristics and he is developing into an excellent replacement for Irelands best ever 10. He will be better again during the summer and again next season. In summary, Ireland's attack will be better in July than it was during the 6N…
I hope!!!
It’ll be two close fought games. If I had to bet i’d bet on the boks but that’s only due to home advantage, and its not a prediction I have much confidence in.
What we do know is that boks fans will be ungracious in victory, defeat, or draw. Honestly I wish this series wasn’t happening because we will learn nothing, the rugby probably won’t be hugely engaging, and we will be reminded of how unpleasant so many rugby fans are.
What you’d bet against, as you claim the greatest attacking team in the world. Sounds like the sentiments of a clown
That’s a strange comment Finn.
You’d rather not have a rugby game because you don’t like South Africans?
We should talk about football games and hooliganism in England. Far worse behavior on average imho.
And why should the world’s best attacking team you’ve ever seen not be able to beat the boks?
You make some great comments on this site, well researched and well put. This is not one of them.
Jeez what a sad comment. Toughen up mate we get stung all the time by the Boks fans but they know the All Blacks are always up for it. Are there some idiots in both sets of fans in our games, well sure but many Bok fans pass respectful comments as we do for their team. Ireland need to think positively and play and say with respect to get respect.
“Ungracious” in this context is one of those words that really means “disagree with me”. Like the phrases “doesn't get it” or “is arrogant”. It just means that the nice folks you are referring to don’t accept your narrative.
There is a reality that, as John Smit said it, people “don’t dig the Boks”. Some teams could be half as successful as the Boks and have cheerleading pundits declaring them the greatest of all time. The Boks have the opposite, namely begrudging admission that they won what they won, accompanied by endless caveats and excuses about why it doesn’t mean anything.
The Boks have played a team picked from many of the best players in the NH (namely the B&I Lions) and beaten them twice in succession (2009, 2021). The begrudgers will tell you that doesn’t count. The Boks have won the RWC twice in succession, 4 times in total, and have done so while participating in two fewer RWC tournaments than the other top teams. If some other teams had done that we would be expected to pay our respects, and there would be knighthoods aplenty. In the SA case we get the begrudgers belittling the achievements.
Are the fans unpleasant? I would say it is the responsibility of any serious fan to stand up for their teams legitimate achievements. Of course others will find that unpleasant if it contradicts their BS narratives.
I am Irish, but I find it refreshing that Bok fans proudly stand up for the Boks and their incredible success in the big moments. And I find it more than a little ungracious that folks don’t wholeheartedly applaud their brilliance.
Isn’t it rather ungracious to have a dig at Bok fans like this with the games still months away? Might not want to take the moral high ground on this one.
Well they are the best, best chokers under pressure for how many world cups in a row. Can't argue with it. Fair plaudits.
Who? Ireland can’t argue with that.
Ireland beat them in the RWC and barely turned up for that match.
The obvious difference is Wayne Barnes won’t be there so the Boks will be missing their best player.
The ignorant third world educated thickos will somehow be shocked by the impending results.
That will be the best part of it all. What happens when you listen to your pundits spur utter 💩 alll the time - and believe it as gospel.
Hey Naaigie, we won the tournament. Fourth one. Last two back to back.
Ireland? Yeah, beat the Boks and then? You see, that’s where Rassie proved his genius. He lost the battle and won the war. Suck on it.
But, by all means, keep telling everyone about the conspiracy, the referees, yadda yadda. It’s very enjoyable to see you froth at the mouth, spouting the same old same old. You’re a sad little one-trick pony.
Yeh Barnsey had a good outing for the Boks recently too lol😁
Was that the same way ireland didn't turn up for the quarter? Played 70% or whatever the irish pundits claimed? Spouting rubbish all the time is right.
There's no doubt that these two teams are the best in the world. Who is better is really kind of up in the air and it's fairly 50-50. I would say the Boks are a marginally better team but there's very little in it.
Worst fans in the world, though? That's a no contest victory for the Saffas.
We’re the worst fans!? Oh no! That would be devastating if anybody cared about your opinion.
Rumours of an under strength Irish team being sent over is gaining momentum….I really hope it ain’t🙄 Rassie said he will tinker after this series, so I hope Farrell does the same!
Where are you hearing these rumours lol, the most consistent modus operandi of the IRFU to its detriment has been win all games, in doing so we keep older players like O’Mahony, Sexton, Earls, Kearney etc on teamsheets when we should be developing options and depth, the likeliest scenario I’m imaging you’ve heard is that O’Mahony, Murray, Henderson and maybe a few others are getting dropped but in reality the options behind them really need gametime and would be much more of a threat to SA. The suggestion we would send a weak squad deliberately is an insult to us and to the coaches one way or another, if it does happen though I’ll be right here giving out about it with you lol.
I hope that’s all it is. If Ireland produce the game against saffas as they played their 6n campaign then they’ll win.
Irish forwards in recent years have been insanely fit and well conditioned, let’s not forget that only one team in the world has beaten the “dreaded” 7-1 split without any backline injuries playing a part. With a new attack coach coming in for both teams and new players phasing in should be a very interesting series for both teams win or lose
Yes wer all awaiting the first outing between boks and Irish with baited breath. Yes the irishhave upped the fitness tempo but they needed to because the abs set the trend for fitness. They showed the world the meaning of 80+ minutes of rugby.