Despite the handsome nature of last week’s record 46-19 win over Australia, Andy Farrell could make three or four changes to Ireland’s starting XV for Saturday’s game at the Aviva Stadium against South Africa (kick-off 5.40pm).
The side will be named on Thursday afternoon and the fit again duo of Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose will have been strongly under consideration. Likewise for Andrew Porter and Bundee Aki after their impactful displays off the bench when Ireland scored three tries in the last 10 minutes against the Wallabies.
Van der Flier and Ringrose, who both suffered hamstring twinges in a training session following Ireland’s return from Chicago, have missed the ensuing wins over Japan and Australia.
The word is they weren’t too far away from fitness last week with Monday’s injury update declaring them both available for selection this weekend and confirmed by defence coach Simon Easterby on Tuesday.
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Ireland’s record win over Australia sets up Springboks clash perfectly
Ringrose remains a key figure Easterby’s defensive system and is Ireland’s most proven at outside centre, while Van der Flier, before the last two weeks, had played in Ireland’s last 23 Tests, starting in 21 of those fixtures.
The pair have been two of Farell’s go-to men for years, and so it will be a surprise if either isn’t picked to start against the back-to-back World Champions.
Paddy McCarthy performed strongly on his full debut last week, but one ventures that if the 22-year-old was to start one game in this series it was more likely to be last week than against the Springboks. So, the odds are that the Lions frontrow of Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong will be restored, with McCarthy joining Rónan Kelleher and Thomas Clarkson on the bench.
The expectation must also be that Sam Prendergast will retain the number 10 jersey after his classy and creative first hour against the Wallabies, with Aki or Robbie Hernshaw to partner Ringrose in the centre and leaving the back three unchanged after Mack Hansen’s eye-catching first Test start at fullback.
The call between Aki or Henshaw looks as marginal as ever, with the former’s huge carry in the build-up to Ryan Baird’s try confirming the Connacht man still packs a punch.
Cian Prendergast’s impact off the bench in the last two games looks to have cemented his place in the match-day squad, likely to be joined on the bench by Jack Conan.
As for the Springboks, their end-of-year tour itinerary seems to have been specifically designed to play their strongest hand against France a fortnight ago, and now Ireland. After making 11 changes for last week’s 32-14 win over Italy in Turin, Rassie Erasmus is expected to revert to the vast bulk of the match-day 23 which steered the Boks to an imperious 32-17 win over France at the Stade de France at the start of the month, despite playing more than half the game with 14 men.
That was due to a red card for Lood de Jager, who misses the Ireland game through suspension, forcing Erasmus into one change from that starting XV. Although Franco Mostert partnered Jean Kleyn against Italy, judging by the selection for the record win over New Zealand in Wellington and on the bench in Paris, Ruan Nortje now appears to be next in the lock pecking order.
There has been speculation in South Africa that Canan Moodie might force his way into the starting side, perhaps at outside centre, but Jesse Kriel still seems too integral to the Boks, especially in defence.
Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who had been given the keys to the number 10 role for five successive Tests before last week, appear to be the first-choice halfback partnership for at least, with Grant Williams and Mannie Libbok the preferred backups.
Andre Esterhuizen’s ability to cover the backrow and midfield means their bench could be described as either 5-3 or 6-2. Although there must be a temptation to start RG Snyman on his 50th Test at a venue he often calls home with Leinster, the lock with the octopus arms has become the epitome of the Springboks’ bomb squad.
IRELAND (possible): M Hansen; T O’Brien, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong; J Ryan, T Beirne; R Baird, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).
Replacements: R Kelleher, P McCarthy, T Clarkson, C Prendergast, J Conan, C Casey, J Crowley, R Henshaw.
SOUTH AFRICA (possible): Willemse; Kolbe, Kriel, de Alende, Arendse; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Reinach; Venter, Marx, T du Toit, Etzebeth, Nortje, Kolisi (capt), PS du Toit, Wiese.
Replacements: Grobbelaar, Steenekamp, Louw, Snyman, Smith, Esterhuizen, Williams, Libbok.
