Ireland, the primary ranked staff in the world, tackle South Africa the World Cup holders in what ought to be an epic Autumn worldwide Test on Saturday at Lansdowne Road.
Adding spice to an already intriguing encounter in Dublin is the truth that they’re each in the identical pool on the Rugby World Cup which is lower than a 12 months away.
AFP Sports picks out three issues which might show pivotal on Saturday:
Sexton v Willemse
The battle at fly-half can be a captivating tussle between Ireland’s iconic playmaker Johnny Sexton and the utility again Damian Willemse.
The 24-year-old Springbok is 13 years youthful than Sexton, however the Irish captain has over 100 caps at fly-half while Willemse can depend the variety of occasions he has performed in the place at Test stage on one hand.
Willemse has been referred to as upon due to World Cup profitable fly-half Handre Pollard being injured and Elton Jantjes is missing in recreation time and battling private issues.
Willemse definitely caught the attention together with his performances at fly-half in away wins over Australia and Argentina in the Rugby Championship.
Sexton is no one’s idiot and in contrast to many, whose eyebrows had been raised over Willemse’s choice in such a pivotal position, he sees no motive why he can not shine.
“He’s unpredictable,” stated Sexton on Tuesday.
“He’s bought incredible footwork, he has kicking recreation, he’s sturdy, he’s quick clearly.
“Some traits that you wouldn’t normally associate with a 10 but he’s an excellent player.”
The Erasmus issue
This would be the first match Springbok Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus can attend since his ban from attending Test matches for making disparaging remarks in regards to the referee in the primary Test with the British & Irish Lions final 12 months got here to an finish.
ALSO READ: Boks and Ireland have moved on since 2017 thrashing
Whilst he side-stepped an invite to open up about what he had discovered from the ban on Wednesday — save a regretful “as the guys got on the bus to go to the match I went back to my hotel room” — he made no secret of his enthusiasm for being again.
It is the altering room the place he might make an enormous distinction with a pre-match tub-thumping speech. Fiery, the place head coach Jacques Nienaber is extra mild-mannered, the charismatic former backrow ahead can add that further bit of fireplace in the bellies of the gamers.
The Irish want no reminder of what his speeches are like. Erasmus referred to them as “softies” in contrast to the Welsh in a pre-World Cup semi-final speech towards Wales — the Springboks received the match.
Erasmus believes the Irish have a tougher edge about them now below Andy Farrell however he’ll hope his rhetoric provides his gamers the innovative and an ideal fiftieth birthday current.
Murray’s second coming
“This is called living properly, there is no better time to be an Irish rugby player,” stated Andy Farrell.
Coming off a historic collection win in New Zealand towards the All Blacks and going through the world champions few would argue with the Ireland head coach and former English rugby league celebrity.
No yet one more so than Conor Murray.
The 33-year-old has watched from the bench as Jamison Gibson-Park has lifted the mantle of first selection scrum-half from his shoulders after over a decade.
In that point he shaped some of the feared half-back Test partnerships with Johnny Sexton.
However, on Saturday the Munster stalwart will lead the staff out onto the pitch as he wins his a hundredth cap.
ALSO READ: Next 4 Tests will present how prepared Boks are for World Cup defence
The eighth Irishman to attain the 100 caps milestone Murray will get his probability to show he deserves to be primary once more as Gibson-Park has not performed because the series-clinching Test win over the All Blacks.
Gibson-Park, although, is on the bench.
“He is a tough old character and he is steely strong mentally,” stated Farrell of Murray.
Farrell admitted he had had a “couple of conversations” with Murray as soon as Gibson-Park grew to become an everyday starter.
However, he denied as soon as Gibson-Park had some taking part in time below his belt he could be again as first selection.
“In regard to Jamison taking over, that’s never the case with anyone.”
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