Fired-up Farrell rallies Ireland for ferocious Springboks test

ANDY FARRELL HAS laid down a challenge to his team in no uncertain terms this week.

No one has been safe from the Ireland head coach’s demands for more. He knows that his players need to go to another level to beat the best team in the world, South Africa, in this evening’s sold-out clash at the Aviva Stadium [KO 5.40pm, RTÉ/TNT].

Farrell has tended to get a good response from his players when he is blunt and direct with them. They usually show up well after Farrell shows a hard edge during their training weeks.

“You know where you stand and you know what he expects of you,” said Ireland captain Caelan Doris yesterday. “He sees the potential and wants you to get there and helps you get there.

“Faz speaks unbelievably well, he holds the room, captivates the attention massively, and hits the right emotional tone and he’s done that several times this week. So I feel we’re in a good place.”

South Africa feel they’re in a good place too. They’re the back-to-back World Cup champions and the back-to-back Rugby Championship winners, while they beat France in Paris two weekends ago despite a first-half red card. So Ireland need to go up a few levels. He has been fired up by the ferocious challenge ahead.

Farrell’s forceful feedback this week has been directed at everyone, with key senior players like Doris and Dan Sheehan reminded of their need to get better.

“Me and Sheeno spoke to him during the week pre-pitch and it was quite direct what he wanted from us in that session,” said the Ireland skipper.

“For me, it was my tackle technique and getting more out of collisions really, which is obviously a big focus point of this week.

“It’s something I’ve been aware of myself. It hasn’t been as good as I’d like it to be over the last number of weeks, so given the task we face this week, it’s an important point.”

This week in Ireland camp has been a little like the one between the first and second Tests in South Africa in July 2024.

Ireland lost the first Test and weren’t the the levels they are capable of. Farrell let his team know their performance and their mindset hadn’t been acceptable. 

“We got a bit of a bollocking going into Test two, and we’ve touched on elements of that and of the changes from Test one to Test two, and largely mentality,” said Doris.

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“So trying to get back to that mindset, and it’s been good through the week. We’ve touched on it and gotten those little spikes of emotion.”

Ireland’s physicality was much improved in that second Test in Durban and they brought a more feral edge to their play. They still needed two late Ciarán Frawley drop goals to win it.

So the expectation from Farrell is that his players will bring a meanness against the Springboks this evening, even if it’s crucial to balance that with clear-headed decision-making to stay on the right side of referee Matthew Carley.

“Calm aggression” is the state of mind Doris is after from his team.

“I know that sounds strange, but being able to get back to neutral quickly, being able to be properly physical and sharp and bring edge, but in a disciplined manner. And it’s a challenge, but I believe we’re capable of it.”

Ireland’s good record against the Springboks helps their self-belief. But four Irish wins in the last five meetings also means Rassie Erasmus and co. are out to settle a score, as well as notching a first South African win in Dublin since 2012.

Ireland must be happy that explosive loosehead prop Ox Nché is missing due to injury, but they’ll still expect a massive scrum contest from the Boks. The lineout and maul will be similarly key battlegrounds.

Ireland have had some good days against the Boks at the set-piece, so they know what it will mean if they nail the scrum, lineout, maul, and restarts.

“It takes away one of their big strengths, as well as giving us territory, good attacking platforms,” said Doris.

“We’ve had penalties off them in the past and tries, so it puts pressure on them too. It gives us a lot. It’s going to be a proper forward battle.”

Ireland know there will be plenty of moments that go South Africa’s way, but Farrell’s players are determined to instantly put those behind them and nail the next one.

That battle up front will be decisive and if Ireland can edge it, they’re hoping out-half Sam Prendergast will be able to pull the strings with his kicking and passing.

“He spoke very well to us last night and that’s something that is growing and growing in his game, and how he delivers a week and manages the attack within the week,” said Doris.

“We’re fortunate that Sam and Jack [Crowley] are very smart lads and have the ability to talk and hold a room from that perspective.

“Sam’s great. He’s kind of laid-back in a way, but he’s also very deliberate about how he trains and about wanting to get better and improve. He’s aware of the areas of his game he needs to get better at, and has a good plan around how he’s going to chase that down.

“He was class last weekend and we’ve seen what he’s been capable of at times. I think if you look at his defence against the Bulls in the final of the URC, it was good, it was strong, and we’re hoping for the same again from all of us tomorrow.”

Of course, Crowley is likely to have an important role along with the rest of the Irish bench. The Springboks generally finish games strongly thanks to the quality of their replacements, which include world-class players like Wilco Louw and RG Snyman today.

So Ireland will need plenty of punch from the likes of Crowley, Rónan Kelleher, Finlay Bealham, Cian Pendergast, and Tom Farrell. 

Farrell’s side seem to sense that they know what’s coming their way, including from the famed Springboks defence, which Jacques Nienaber has brought to Leinster and which Jerry Flannery now runs in the South Africa set-up.

“It’s very similar,” said Doris. “It’s linespeed over everything else and just putting teams under pressure relentlessly, so it’s pretty similar.

“We’ve trained against it quite a lot in Leinster so there’s probably… we’ll find out tomorrow but hopefully there’s aspects of being a little bit more comfortable in the chaos of it.”

Ireland’s attack was at its sharpest for some time against the Wallabies last weekend, with running lines well-timed and effective, passes accurate and snappy, and decisions finely tuned.

Mack Hansen – who is carrying a finger injury – will be among those looking to do damage with ball in hand, while the kicking and aerial contests will be as pivotal as ever to this game.

Bring on the chaos.

IRELAND: Mack Hansen; Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (captain).

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Paddy McCarthy, Finlay Bealham, Cian Prendergast, Jack Conan, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Tom Farrell.

SOUTH AFRICA: Damian Willemse; Canan Moodie, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe; Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach; Boan Venter, Malcolm Marx, Thomas du Toit; Eben Etzebeth, Ruan Nortje; Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese

Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Wilco Louw, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, André Esterhuizen, Grant Williams, Manie Libbok.

Referee: Matthew Carley [RFU].