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Ex Bok's seven-word response to claims Ireland are the world's best

Ireland celebrate a try/ PA

After three rounds of Guinness Six Nations action, many figures in the game have hailed runaway leaders Ireland as the best team in the world, but former South Africa centre Robbie Fleck has a simple response to that.

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The 31-cap Springbok replied to those claims by asserting “they are not playing against quality opposition,” on RPTV’s Boks Office podcast recently.

Fleck is not the first former South Africa player to bite back at such claims, as they have understandably leapt to the defence of the reigning back-to-back world champions the Springboks, who sit at the summit of the World Rugby rankings.

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    Robbie Fleck on this year’s “disappointing” Six Nations | RPTV

    Former Springbok centre and Stormers coach Robbie Fleck says Ireland don’t have quality opposition in this year’s disappointing Six Nations. Watch the full show on RugbyPass TV

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    The former Bath centre has not been impressed by the standard of Ireland’s opposition so far this Championship, and therefore believes Andy Farrell’s team cannot be regarded as the unofficial world number ones.

    Even if Ireland go on to win a likely Grand Slam, it is unlikely that Ireland will convince Fleck and many of his compatriots of their status at the top of rugby.

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    The true test for many South Africa supporters, and perhaps even Ireland too, will come in July when Peter O’Mahony leads his side into a two-Test series against the Springboks.

    When asked what he thinks of this year’s Six Nations by Hanyani Shimange, Fleck replied “not much”.

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    “Pretty disappointing England,” he added. “You need the traditional guys to be strong. France have been disappointing as well. So there’s only one team in it really.

    “Patches of brilliance with Scotland which you always get with Gregor Townsend and the players he selects. Finn Russell, Huw Jones and Duhan van der Merwe, they’ve all been good, but there’s no real competition for Ireland, which has been quite frustrating and disappointing, to be honest.

    “Everyone talks about the Irish now being number one in the world, but they can’t be because they are not playing against quality opposition.

    “Yes, we’ll see when we play Ireland in the [July] Tests, but for now the Six Nations has been disappointing in terms of the overall product.

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    “There’s one really good genuine side in the Irish team and they deserve that, they are very well coached, they’ve got quality players, but England have been disappointing, France have been disappointing.”

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    Comments

    17 Comments
    J
    John 499 days ago

    Nobody in Ireland is really claiming this and what’s the point? The two teams play each other in the summer so that will be as good of a gage as can be had. Yes one or two teams in the six nations have been disappointing but back to back GSs have never been done in the six nations.

    D
    Dan 499 days ago

    Who cares what an ignorant third world educated thicko thinks? Wouldn’t know a good rugby team because the Boks have been inferior for far too long and SH rugby is utter shite. And their MVP, Barnes, is now retired. Nowhere to go but down n

    A
    Ace 498 days ago

    Umm, Naaige, when you’re NUMBER ONE, technically the only way to go is down.


    Thank you for your insight Captain Obvious.

    N
    NB 498 days ago

    You actually watch rugby right? Ireland got put away at the World Cup by “the worst All Blacks team ever.” Or atleast that's what the north were saying the last two years. If the worst All Black team ever can get within 1 point of a World Cup win while playing with 14 then just imagine what they'll do to you when the are a good All Blacks team. Let alone the Boks.


    When will Ireland learn to be quiet and actually win something against Southern teams before they open their mouths. England are trash, Wales are trash, Italy are trash, France are playing trash this year, Scotland are decent but still relative easy beats for the Boks and All Blacks. Ireland are playing nobody and continuously chirping.


    Be quiet and have some humility until you actually do something at a World Cup.


    The north may have all the money but the South owns world rugby. Shit, your teams are full of our SH players anyway.

    L
    LW 499 days ago

    Quarter

    c
    craig 499 days ago

    Dan your team still has 0 World cups mate 😂🤡

    W
    Wyn 499 days ago

    You lot are in for much more pain. Rugby at schoolboy level in South Africa is growing all the time. More and more communities are starting to play the game. You muppets are in for massive pain in the future. A third world country is going to fark you even harder. How shite must you pikeys be if a bunch of broke corrupt third worlders can outperform you so completely in world cups? Atleast you have Jean Kleyn as a world cup winner? Dream on pikeys, you will never lift that cup.

    S
    SteveD 499 days ago

    He knows a hell of a lot more than a presumably ultrathick pommie Posh Boy like you?

    C
    CB 499 days ago

    Hear, hear. The only way the SH can shake off the ultra loser tag is to start winning world cups. The NH is just so dominant…..they’ve already stacked up one!!! You are a bit dim aren’t you Dan? How many times you must have heard that…..over and over and over from your despairing parents and then from all the people you tried to befriend. Don't despair Danny boy, we’ll tolerate you….we have FOUR world cups, we can afford to be magnanimous.

    B
    Blanco 499 days ago

    I agree with him. We don’t know how good Ireland are. In fairness as RWC champs SA should hold the best team mantle until the upcoming matches with pretenders Ireland and New Zealand.

    I think this weekend will give us a better idea where Ireland are at. Teams have to play this weekend. Ireland could still lose the last two matches.

    The who’s the best stuff is just click bait nosnense. What is magic for Saffers and Irish fans is the upcoming series. What a great spectacle International rugby is!

    A
    Ace 498 days ago

    Hey Turdflow,


    You haven’t responded to this post yet:

    ———————

    Yes, international rugby is indeed a great rugby spectacle. Seeing two top teams go against each other hammer and tongs for 80 minutes and then share handshakes and camaraderie after the final whistle is awesome.


    That’s why it’s such a shame when some “supporters“ accuse others of xenophobia and are too cowardly to back up their disgusting and baseless claims. Instead of manning up and simply apologising, they simply ignore it or move the goalposts like the spineless jellyfish they are.


    It’s very sad and pathetic.

    ———————


    Why don’t you show everyone here that you are in fact a man, with a backbone and either answer or apologise?

    A
    Ace 498 days ago

    Yes, international rugby is indeed a great rugby spectacle. Seeing two top teams go against each other hammer and tongs for 80 minutes and then share handshakes and camaraderie after the final whistle is awesome.


    That’s why it’s such a shame when some “supporters“ accuse others of xenophobia and are too cowardly to back up their disgusting and baseless claims. Instead of manning up and simply apologising, they simply ignore it or move the goalposts like the spineless jellyfish they are.


    It’s very sad and pathetic.

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