South Africa usually plays Ireland in Ireland. In fact, over 70 per cent of Tests between the two countries have been in Ireland. This weekend will be the 22nd match between these respectful rivals.
Ireland has a great chance to spoil South Africa’s tour just as it begins. This is because the world’s second-best rugby team’s, Heyneke Meyer’s and the South African fans’ expectations are clear – no losses in Europe this year or the next.
Recent form for the ‘Boks in Europe augers well. However, the Irish have Springbok scalps.
Ireland has beaten South Africa only in Ireland, but has done it four times, including a well-deserved 3-match winning streak in 2004, 2006, and 2009, even if the visitors fielded an experimental squad once. They drew with the ‘Boks in 1970.
The last time the sides played at Aviva Stadium, the visitors won narrowly.
This time, the European champions are missing some key players. Their front row in particular is struggling and will miss Cian Healy and Rory Best. Their back row is not as formidable without Sean O’Brien.
But Ireland will still perhaps have ten of the fifteen players who won the Six Nations crown in Paris, including a silky-smooth halfback pair. Jonny Sexton and for me, the best scrumhalf in the world, Conor Murray.
They will have the manic aggressor Paul O’Connell – who was dubbed by Victor Matfield this week as “probably the best player” the old ‘Bok lock has faced in his long career – and dangerous outside backs like Simon Zebo, Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney.
Matfield’s charm offensive included the statement that Ireland has the best set piece in world rugby.
But the Springboks can have no excuses. They should win and they must win.
Meyer has named an unchanged starting line-up from the New Zealand win, and the bench has only one change. Coenie Oosthuizen will try to be a tighthead prop in the second half, joining an extremely mobile all-Cheetah front row, with livewire hooker Adriaan Strauss and Trevor Nyakane.
This is a ‘Bok team that took the All Blacks down to the wire both times they played, and split the series. But Ireland took New Zealand deep in Dublin last year, too. So Jean de Villier’s men should be confident without being complacent.
Meyer’s team is rested, but not too rested. The Currie Cup coaches complied with the national coach’s request to spare most of the ‘Boks any more wear and tear, and the squad ‘topped up’ their fitness. Given that this may be the fittest Springbok team ever, and Ireland has so many injury woes, I will tip the ‘Boks to win by 10 points.
They have almost 1,000 caps in their squad. They have 316 on the bench, with Schalk Burger, Bakkies Botha, Pat Lambie, and JP Pietersen bringing world class talent and experience. The second row combination of young hard man Eben Etzebeth and the old wizard Matfield should have the goods over O’Connell and Devin Toner.
Duane Vermeulen, Bismarck du Plessis, and Marcell Coetzee may enjoy supremacy on the deck, and all in all, the unit shape and cohesion of the Southern Hemisphere giants should be enough to overcome a very good Irish side that tackles extremely well, and kicks cleverly.
