It is peaceful on the banks of the Loire, serene enough to lull anyone into a sense of false security. Tours is a lovely, mellow place, with a beguiling old town, and even when journalists arrive too early for Ireland’s press conferences in the suburbs there is a patch of nearby woodland where they can sit and listen to the breeze gently rustling the trees. If it feels like the quiet before the storm, that’s because it is.
Everyone knows what is coming over the hill in Paris on Saturday night and the collision threatens to be mighty. Every Rugby World Cup has a defining pool fixture and, in many ways, Ireland versus South Africa is that and more. The world’s No 1-ranked side against the defending world champions, irresistible force up against largely immovable object. Mellow is not a word that springs instantly to mind.
Particularly so since it was confirmed the Springboks will be donning their full metal jacket. A 7-1 bench loaded with extra slabs of forward muscle has made their intentions crystal clear and dominated the pre-game media agenda. Simon Easterby, the Irish forwards coach, knew what the opening question would be and was not disappointed. “Obviously they believe that’s the way they need to set themselves to beat us on Saturday,” he replied evenly. “It’s a talking point but I don’t think it changes anything for us.”
Yes and no. It is a major talking point because, despite Ireland’s run of 15 consecutive Test victories dating back to their stunning series win against New Zealand last summer, no one specialises in human brick walls quite like South Africa. Eben Etzebeth is back fit and despite the injury absence of Malcolm Marx, there are few obvious weak links within the starting Bok pack or among their body doubles.
Either way, neither Easterby nor one of his key forwards, James Ryan, were in the mood for tub-thumping following the squad’s final session before heading to Paris for the countdown to kick-off. The nearest they came was when Easterby reminded his audience that Ireland have been building towards this weekend for a good couple of years. “We know that when we play well and we play a certain way that we’re going to be difficult to play against and difficult to beat.”
They also have a certain Johnny Sexton, whose presence always makes his teammates feel more secure. Easterby was among those who found the fly-half’s non-selection for the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa “surprising” and reckons his relentless competitiveness is contagious. “As much as you’ll see the competitive and the narky edge on match day, he’s an unbelievable person around the group. He makes people feel really good about themselves.”
Ryan feels similarly, having shared plenty of dressing rooms with him for Leinster and Ireland. “It doesn’t matter if it’s the first game of the season, a URC [United Rugby Championship] game or if it’s the World Cup final. He just shows up every week with the same competitive spirit. He is an unbelievable leader and he makes a big difference to the team when he’s in there.
“He probably is a little bit of an inspiration. To be playing in a World Cup at fly-half at 38 and to be playing as well as he is … it is pretty ridiculous. I think it’s his competitiveness and drive that allows him to reach and maintain those levels of performance.
“I’m going to get a bit of a slagging for this because I’m bigging him up quite a bit but he’s been great.” The perfect skipper to have at the helm, in other words, when the storm finally hits.
