CAN IRELAND RECREATE the performance and outcome from their last game against South Africa, a 19-16 win in November at the Aviva, or are the Boks primed to reassert themselves on Saturday night?
That was one of questions up for discussion on Rugby Weekly Extra, a podcast for subscribers to The 42.
Today, regulars Murray Kinsella, Bernard Jackman and host Gavan Casey were joined by Dan Leavy, the former Ireland international.
Leavy believes Ireland will prevail in a tight game, despite what Kinsella describes as South Africa’s ability “to get the mindset between sheer bloody-minded violence and complete composure right”.
Kinsella added: “I remember we had a big debate about it after the game in November where I felt the Irish pack had really got on top of them and proved a big point but you guys felt it was much more of a 50-50.
“I think they’ll be determined to prove that they are the superior, more dominant, more physical pack, particularly with the bench forwards to use.”
Leavy said: “If you look at that November game, and I’m sure everyone will be looking at it now this week, but it’s a pretty good blueprint on how to beat South Africa.
“I remember all the chat in the week up was ‘Ireland don’t perform well against big, physical teams like France, South Africa’. And they just matched them.
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“Scoreboard pressure is massive against South Africa I think. If you can get ahead, a score ahead or two, they can’t really play their kicking and kick and chase game as much. You have to throw the ball around. It’s probably the first time in a long time I saw South Africa kind of panic a little bit in attack.
“I saw (Eben) Etzebeth trying to force offloads around 50-60 minutes which is quite uncharacteristic, so I think Ireland matched them physically the last time.
“You can see as the game got later into it, Jamison Gibson-Park came off the bench and really changed the game, because he was just picking off kind of lazy, loose South Africa defenders and really got Ireland a bit of momentum. He caused that Mack Hansen try in the corner.
“It’s going to be super tight. I think Ireland will win. Any time you bet against Ireland they always win.”
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