RASSIE ERASMUS MADE sure to remind Ireland of their place in rugby’s pecking order ahead of the first Test of their two-game tour to South Africa.
The Springboks head coach confirmed that he will name his starting XV on Tuesday for the first meeting at Loftus Versfeld next Saturday.
South Africa had a flight delay from London ahead of a training camp in Pretoria this week and his players will now spend some downtime with family before reconvening on Sunday as preparations then ramp up.
“I must give credit to our head of high performance and operations team for their hard work to ensure that the week functioned as smoothly as possible despite arriving a day later than expected,” said Erasmus.
“I believe we are in the right frame of mind for the challenge ahead against the world’s No 2 ranked team.
“We had a chance this week to analyse what we did well against Wales and the areas we need to put more emphasis on going into the Ireland Tests, and we were delighted with the professional manner in which the players made the mind-set switch.”
Erasmus said there is “huge excitement in the group for the challenge ahead” and reckons the resounding 52-16 victory over Wales earlier this month has them primed for Andy Farrell’s men.
“Everyone knows that a big step-up is required next week, but we are pleased with the momentum we built up by defeating Wales and getting international game time under the belt.
“Obviously with new members on our coaching staff, the overseas-based players and new recruits will have some work to do to ensure the entire group is fully aligned in terms of our new structures, but this week served as a good start in that process.”
31 counties behind yee, hon mayo!
It’s it 30 other counties providing Mayo will be supporting themselves??
I wouldn’t expect a muck savage to be able to count to that high of a number
No Jack I am from London. I just decided to start supporting and wearing jerseys of a place that has nothing to do with me. Kinda like every single fan of Manchester u.
Still 31 counties shouting for Mayo ya half British Jackeen
Nope, thought of it it all by myself :) aren’t I brill x x
No your a backward culchie muck muncher…
I bet you drink pints & play darts?? I wouldn’t touch a country girl with a burning stick of shite
You’d better bring a burning stick with ya, cause she’d prob wanna set herself alight if she was with you.
Well you wouldn’t be pissed on if you were on fire anyway!!!
Only when they’re counting sheep!!!!
Thought Fingal was now a county in Dublin – Sunshine !!!!
What age are u?? Five?? Seriously go take your tablets and attend that follow up with your psychiatrist
let the buildup begin!!!
Up Kerry
We hammered every team so far. The dubs will get a hammering too.
You will in your brown…. Dublin all day long my pedigree chum
Capital & All Ireland Champions, God I love being a Dub
It’s no wonder the other 31 counties will be shouting for mayo when you read that kind of unadulterated sh1te!!
Kerry aren’t in the final Paul? Or is that just a reflex to shout on September with the amount ye feckers have been there?
Jack Strong??….. I’m re-naming you Jack Reach-around
Jack Reach-Around….Was Jack Weak too much of an intelligent play on words for you? Forgive me if I won’t take too much hurt from a lad too afraid to put up his real name and photo.
@ pauljohnson : Up Everton, told you months ago that it was a big mistake for Jose to go back, Skankford Bridge is a strikers graveyard :-)
Going to be very good game. As for those thinking Mayo will bottle it.
NOT A CHANCE
Going to be one hell of a tight game, arse is doing buttons already
The bottlers will never win. Dubs all the way !!
No match for the Dubs
Like mayo dublin can choke to so lads u can not get to teams more alike I just feel 13 is for mayo as u say mayo are cursed so the year 2013 all curses can be broke so this is I time I believe in it bet what u have mayo will win trust me no disrespect to dublin great team but the mayo. Curse just passed on to dublin check it out in a the year 13 u can pass a curse on so be in castlebar for Sam
Andy Moran can’t and won’t start based on his Tyrone performance, it’s a toss-up between Micky C and Carolan. Moran will be brought on as a physiological boost with 10-15 mins left. And for the love of God pray for Cillian’s shoulder lads!! Enda Varley is far too inconsistent with his point taking
C’MON THE DUBS. The Mayo curse will happen again!!
As a Mayo person I find the chockers comments a bit amusing. A team chocking would to me mean a team that was excepted to win, loose. None of the previous 6 finals we have played in, were we favourites. The better team won.
I would think a county that has suffered such heartbreak that keeps coming back and back again to be very resilient. I hope that Sunday at last is our day for this team and our fans. If its not then we will be back cause that is what we do.
I hope the Dubs wipe the floor with them for one reason and one reason only…Enda “The Cabbage” Kenny!
The dubs have given us great leaders sure, good aul Bertie!
No comparison…Bertie was an out and out gangster but there was still something likable about him. Cabbage Kenny likes for everybody to think he’s a goody two shoes, devout catholic when all he actually is is a lying, corrupt, back stabbing runt with the intellect and charisma of a slug!
Bertie is a proven liar by Mr. Justice Mahon, if you like him or not is up to you.
Devout Catholic??? You clearly don’t keep up with your current affairs. The man gave the most important speech in our social history DENOUNCING the Catholic Church and calling for the separation of Church-State, the first Taoiseach ever to do that, while Bertie ignored all the child-sex rumours bubbling in the backround in his tenure. Call Enda Kenny whatever the hell you want, but the man who’s described himself as “the Taoiseach who happens to be Catholic, not the Catholic Taoiseach” a Devout Catholic is 100% wrong. I’m not getting into a FF vs. FG on a sports page, but to judge a county by Enda is pretty fecking stupid now isn’t it?
Wrong thread lads. Please don’t ruin the build up :(
Seconded Niall.
@Jack…the man was reading from a script prepared by his over paid advisers. And it was a bit rich coming from a career politician when you consider that church and state were so intertwined that politicians were as much to blame as priests for the cover up. Anyway, like Niall says, not the time and place for this conversation. But just to reiterate my first post. Cabbage Kenny is the one and only reason why I hope to God Mayo don’t win on Sunday. Dublin abú!
Dublin have too much strenght in Depth for them. Dublin to pull away in the last 15 and win handsomely
And have biters and eye gougers etc!!
Theirs a confidence about both teams that makes you think that all year they both expected to be here and both play football the right way.
Could be a classic and I just hope it’s not decided by a bad decision or a cynical foul.
Couldn’t call it but hoping the dubs take it by one
Mayo are the Jimmy White of GAA, final chokers. Record winning margin for the Dubs! Any spare tickets? :)
Have great regard for Dubs and supporters, a few luadramáns aside. This is ours. Up Mayo
No luadramáns in Maigh Eo, of course…!
Dublin 4-6 points easy money
To lose by 4 to 6
With a fit Cillian o Connor possibly, without him no chance simple as that me thinks
Even Dubliners are shouting for Mayo. That’s how stupid they are ;)
Anybody got a ticket utube