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Ireland 'more than capable' of beating South Africa
By PA
Andy Farrell expects world champions South Africa to be “twice as good” during the second Test in Durban but believes Ireland can still salvage a series draw.
The Springboks will bid to cement their status as Test rugby’s top-ranked nation on Saturday following last weekend’s 27-20 success in Pretoria.
Ireland have not lost consecutive Test matches since round two of the 2021 Six Nations and head coach Farrell hopes to see significant room for improvement from his side.
“It was a proper Test match and I get all that but when we strip it back from our side, we’re disappointed,” he told reporters, speaking of the series opener.
“I’ve no doubt South Africa are going to be twice as good this weekend hence why we need to move pretty quickly this week in terms of the honesty of where we’re at and what we need to do going forward.
“It’s our last chance to have a crack at what is the best team in the world at this moment in time and we relish that opportunity.
“I think when you put on a green shirt, you’ve always got a chance. If we get the performance that we’re after, we’re more than capable of winning.”
Ireland have been forced into three changes, with hooker Ronan Kelleher, scrum-half Conor Murray and centre Garry Ringrose replacing injured trio Dan Sheehan, Craig Casey and Bundee Aki.
Farrell has also dropped skipper Peter O’Mahony to the bench in order to bring James Ryan back into the second row, with number eight Caelan Doris taking on the captaincy.
South Africa, meanwhile, have named an unchanged 23, including selecting the most experienced starting XV in the nation’s history.
Farrell supports claims the Springboks’ current crop of players is their best ever.
“You look at the strength in depth they’ve got and the quality they’ve got coming off the bench and it says everything where South Africa are at at this moment in time,” he said.
“I’ve heard you guys (the media) and many experts as well talk about whether this is the best South Africa group that they’ve ever had.
“Well, I certainly go along with that type of feeling myself, hence why we’re privileged to be able to come over here and test ourselves.”
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"Now we have one of the most competitive football markets in the world and we are the canary in the coalmine in terms of change and dealing with that."
And there lies the rub. We don't care about your problems with Aussie Rules or Rugby League. If you're in the job just to save your union from competition by making our fantastic game more like one-dimensional boring league then all the rest of your promises are just BS. We'll be watching you like hawks to try and keep you in line, but - like Beaumont - you'll probably be able to push through whatever you like and the game will lose once again, but this time potentially terminally. I believe that your selection could be the worst decision WR have ever made.
Go to commentsAnd Scott Robertson not going so well is he.
Not a bad effort but a correction. McKenzie was not born in NSW so is not a Tah. He was born in Victoria. Played for the Brumbies and coached Qld and also played and then later coached NSW, until the self entitled Tah players decided to stab him in the back. And who was the captain of the Tahs at the time leading the back stabbing. Well, well it was none other than Phil Waugh, current Rugby Australia CEO. Who recently tried to deny he had met Suallii at Hamish McLennan's house pre signing, until McLennan outed him recently as a bald faced liar as he was in fact there.
I doubt very much if McKenzie, who was also assistant coach to Eddie Jones in Jones first stint coaching Australia, would appreciate being labelled a Tah, given it was the Tahs Hooper and Beale and Cheika who stabbed him in the back again when he walked away thru lack of support from Hooper and Rugby Australia.
Schmidt might have theoretically better credentials, even tho he dumped Ireland in the brink but he had to start somewhere. You can't argue if you think he is great that Schmidt should never have been given an opportunity.
Schmidt lacks a crucial ingredient. He's not Australian. It does matter, which as a Bokke you would well know.
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