Ireland v South Africa - 05.11.22

[Leonormous Boozer]

(7.30pm, GMT +2)

I can't draw a springbok so back to shitty Sky screenshot for you all.

 

[rN_X]

It seems there is a rumour that Kolbe will start at fullback for the boks. I like the idea.

 

[Jer1cho]

15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Deon Fourie, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Willie le Roux

Great team apart from Jesse Kriel. Am is massively missed. Otherwise good team.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Jesus...

Hard to tell what this game is going to be like. I feel like SA usually show up to Dublin, underestimate us and we deal with them, often fairly handily too. This year we're world no. 1 so should have a target on our backs but I wouldn't be surprised if France and England will be prioritised.

Its the big game for us so happy to have it first up, big worried are that we'll have a few players returning from injury and a weaker bench. I think its a fairly 50/50 encounter.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Yeah hard to call this one. Strong SA team. You'd have to go for an Ireland win by say 4-7 points but obviously won't be too surprised if SA nick a 3 point win. Should be a great game though. Rain is forecast I think so that could play into SA hands.

 

[OllyM97]

This is the game of the weekend by far and I can't wait. Feel like the Boks might sneak this for some reason.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ireland are 4 point favourites with the bookies. I think that's fair. Would suggest to me that, currently, SA would be very very slight favourites in a neutral game and 6-8 point favourites at home.

Probably a fair reflection of the talent, think we're better coached right now but that can only stand for so much if the Springbok pack has their way.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Also...



Why do we keep making away kits that clash with the only team we wear it against?

 

[David B]

Why do the Springboks always announce their team on a Tuesday? I don't see the advantage in doing this. Why not wait until just before the deadline on Thursday, like all other international teams do?

 

[die_mole]

Also...



Why do we keep making away kits that clash with the only team we wear it against?

they know how successful Leinster is against Connacht

 

[Welsh Exile]

Why do the Springboks always announce their team on a Tuesday? I don't see the advantage in doing this. Why not wait until just before the deadline on Thursday, like all other international teams do?

I imagine it's for the perceived psychological advantage it gives you. Whether it works or not who knows but I guess the idea is to build confidence in your team and also intimidate the other team by saying we don't care we announce it early, we're going to win regardless kind of thing

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

My random thoughts in no particular order.

Happy enough with the team bar Kriel and also not a fan of Kolbe at 15 whilst we do have access to Gelant and Le Roux.

I think without Am we lose to both Ireland and France away from home at this stage more often than not. Might even not be overly close. I do expect us to be up for England in the middle. As much just for the timing of the match as any other consideration.

Just don't have too much trust in our current coaching ticket. I think we are riding the 2019 too hard.

 

[collace]

Based on the Ireland A side it looks like Keenan and JGP are coming back into the side. Bit wary of two players coming into key positions having had no minutes this season.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Fair, I wonder what the call would have been if it were Australia up first. I think both are so vital to how we play that it was a fairly easy decision by the coaching team in the end given the importance of the game.

Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Beirne, Ryan, Doris, VdF, Conan, JGP, Sexton, Balacoune, Henshaw, Ringrose, Hansen, Keenan is what I'd start with tomorrow. I reckon they'll go for POM at 6 and Doris at 8 but as good as he has been in green lately I just don't trust him against massive physical packs.

 

[Jer1cho]

I think without Am we lose to both Ireland and France away from home at this stage more often than not. Might even not be overly close. I do expect us to be up for England in the middle

We play Ireland, then France next week, then Italy then England. The ENG game falls outside the test window, so we will likely have no European Boks to choose from.

I can sense a quiet confidence in Rassie's tone though. We will be up for this, and are not the AC team of 2017 anymore.

 

[Groundhog]

Possible Ireland team (v South Africa):

15. Hugo Keenan
14. Robert Baloucoune
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Mack Hansen
10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
9. Conor Murray
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Tadhg Beirne
5. James Ryan
6. Peter O'Mahony
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris

This is from Murray Kinsella, who is nearly always correct with his leaked teams. Barring someone pulling up with injury today I'd imagine it's accurate.


Delighted Bobby B comes in. Other than that it's kinda what you'd expect based on who is fit. JGP probably not 100% yet. We will see how Keenan goes after injury, but we're not exactly flush with fit back three players right now, so he is needed.

I think I'd also make us slight favorites for this, but it could go either way. I'd agree with Alpha we're probably the better organized, but slightly less talented team on paper.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ireland: Keenan; Baloucoune, Ringrose, Henshaw, Hansen; Sexton (capt), Murray; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Beirne, Ryan; O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Herring, Healy, Bealham, Treadwell, Conan, Gibson-Park, Carbery, McCloskey.

I could be more confident. Tools are there but we lose a lot without JGP. POM needs to prove he can do it in these games, if not we need to start alternating between him and Conan based on opposition. Keenan is streets ahead at 15 but considering the height of the opposition back three this might have been good opportunity to try out Lowry.

 

[Saintjay]

Possible Ireland team (v South Africa):

15. Hugo Keenan
14. Robert Baloucoune
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Mack Hansen
10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
9. Conor Murray
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Tadhg Beirne
5. James Ryan
6. Peter O'Mahony
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris

This is from Murray Kinsella, who is nearly always correct with his leaked teams. Barring someone pulling up with injury today I'd imagine it's accurate.


Delighted Bobby B comes in. Other than that it's kinda what you'd expect based on who is fit. JGP probably not 100% yet. We will see how Keenan goes after injury, but we're not exactly flush with fit back three players right now, so he is needed.

I think I'd also make us slight favorites for this, but it could go either way. I'd agree with Alpha we're probably the better organized, but

Nailed the team selection it's spot on.

 

[Groundhog]

Not massively encouraged by our bench to be honest.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

just to veer off topic a bit, how good is the Ireland A side? Is it similar to earlier in the year, when it was pretty much the next In line after the top 23?