I don't often wish time away but I'd happily forsake the next 48 hours and turn on the telly now to watch this one.
How do we see it going down?
Haven't looked at what the bookies think, but I'm pretty sure that Ireland aren't the favourites.
ABs v France has thus far been the game of the SH test season for me but I think this one has the potential to pip it.
Gonna be interesting to see how Rennie navigates the Eden Park park pressure. Losing there will wipe out most of the good will he has gathered in his short tenure thus far. Will the ABs revert to playing a territory game or will it be a return to the game of old where, after the initial scuffle, we see them bring their offloading game into it?
I like to think of it as "bringing back bad memories". Against that Boks that would mean being demolished up front, but against the ABs it would be being sliced open almost at will. Reminding the opposition of their insecurities. If the ABs can cut Ireland open early, score a few quick ones, the men in green are going to very quickly have some devils in their ears.
Ireland, as always, will be up for it though. They're still one of the most intelligent teams in rugby and nobody ever taught them the word quit.
I wouldn't read too much into the narrow escape versus Australia. South Africa lost to Oz, at home, last year. Australia are easy to underestimate and difficult to prepare for because nobody knows what's going on there.
I'm not expecting an Irish performance that looks anything at all like their game against Oz.
I think we are in for a proper test this weekend boys and the Eden Park bragging rights hang in the balance.
