Ireland talk up Pollard and Hougaard; Rugby 365

Irish scrumhalf Conor Murray has said that the Springboks present a great danger when Francois Hougaard and Handre Pollard are at the helm as they prepare to face of on Saturday in Dublin. Talking from the Irish camp, where it was revealed  his own halfback partner Johnny Sexton should be fit to play, Murray revealed that the Irish had been doing their homework on the Bok players. The introduction of guys like the young prodigy that is Pollard and the nippy Hougaard to the South African team has made the Irish sit up in their seats. "The Springboks have improved over the last year definitely," the scrumhalf said. "Along with the traditional strengths of the South African team, big strong physical men, really powerful up front, I think they are a lot more expansive - especially with Pollard at No.10." Murray expects the Springboks to run with the ball game far more than they used to and the Munster man expects the Boks to come at them with some depth. "I think they are more willing to run from deep and have a higher likelihood to try high-risk plays," he added. "It brings another edge to their game and they are a better team than when we played them a couple of years ago." Murray, along with his Irish team mates, clearly had one eye on the recent Rugby Championship where the Springboks were able to topple the mighty All Blacks and put an end to their record winning streak. "During the Rugby Championship they definitely impressed, we have done a lot of work looking at their players and their strengths so that is our focus. "These three weeks ahead this is a huge game for us starting off, so that is where our focus is for the moment." Another player that has impressed Murray, or at least garnered some attention, is his opposite number Hougaard, who is inline to start against Ireland should Ruan Pienaar not be passed fit. "Hougaard has played quite a bit at No.9 and he is an explosive players, he played on the wing against us a couple of years ago because he has got that natural speed," he continued. "He ran the lads [the Springboks] quite well over the Championship and when he did get his chance I think he took it. "He is a dangerous runner, he brings forwards into play nicely off him and he is a constant threat himself.

Boks should have no trouble with the Irish, Boks by 10.  I guess we should wait until Meyer makes his selections though

10 is too close for my liking, I deserve a stress free November, not sure I can handle anymore close calls  

 Big men like matfiled and oupa - bw ahahhahahaahaha

 
We should thump them easily with the right selections and running game plan.

Flip side is that we could scrape it with Meyer's lunacy.

I'm expecting Gurthro and Bakkies in the mix.

 JW given how Pollard and Hougaard comprehensively outplayed their kiwi counterparts  naturally Ireland realise the threat.

I hear you BB. Close games kill me. Love the European tours as it gives me the chance to guilt free support the Bokke and All Blacks. Sorry Becs but I do love seeing the Mother Country and the rest of the Isles humbled. Boks should be full of confidence and way to much for the Irish. This weekend will be better than Christmas.

I'm detecting very high levels of arrogance on this thread.

Not sure what the Springboks have done recently to make people think that beating the reigning 6N champions on their home turf will be a mere formality. Ireland were certainly more impressive against Argentina than the Springboks were this year.

Besides all that, does anyone want to take a guess what the score is between the Springboks and Ireland in their last 5 meetings?

It's 3-2 . . . to Ireland . . . and it's going to be 4-2 if the Springbok players are as arrogant as their supporters!

Rooi, I agree there is a certain arrogance here, but the Boks have been playing well. We should have beaten Aus in Aus, and it could have gone either way against NZ in NZ. Outside that we have not lost. Also, we seem to be gelling as a team. In Saff's words, my money would be on South Africa, but it is far from a forgone conclusion. 

Bek, I added the Ireland vs Pumas stat as an afterthought. The real point I'm making is that assuming a victory over the 6N champions in their own back yard is a formality is arrogance . . . the same kind of arrogance that saw the Springboks lose to both England and Ireland in 2004 after Joke White had "Grand Slam Champions" T shirts printed for all the players.  

Rooi, only CC is confident, JW is not a SA supporter, so not sure where this arrogance has manifested?  

BB: you are right of course I am an All Blacks supporter not a Bok supporter. 
My prediction (Bok win by 10 points) was in part tongue in cheek as the team has not even been announced yet. So, arrogant I may be but not on this occasion

 Joe S chmidt is a formidable coaching opponent.