Ali impresses as Stockdale and Conway go to front of growing Irish wing queue
In the build-up to this game I made reference to times past when Ireland in the Aviva — or just plain Lansdowne Road as it was back then — would hit southern hemisphere opposition, specifically the big three with everything they had to offer, kitchen sink included, for the best part of an hour before being blown to smithereens in the final quarter.
Those days we thought were long a thing of the past and so they are as professionalism has taken Irish rugby at the highest level to an 80 minute plus collective, particularly on that sacred D4 patch. How strange, therefore, to witness a team in green disintegrate before our very eyes.
True to form, Joe Schmidt was typically diplomatic and humble in victory describing the size of his side’s win as “flattering”.
Of course, we all know where he’s coming from with some big clashes ahead not least the one earmarked for Japan in two years time.
But back to Saturday. We hate the new kit design, when the men in, er, grey (who comes up with these ideas?) turned time and history on its head.
The Springboks came to take on the ‘European All Blacks’ according to head coach Allister Coetzee in what he rightly declared as the defining game in their season.
I am no more going to fall into the trap of triumphalism than the Ireland head coach.
Fate and form can be fickle. Who knows what lies around the corner at this level - think Scotland in Murrayfield eight months ago. That said, I have not seen a more insipid or more accurately such a rudderless South African performance than we witnessed from the Springboks on Saturday.
Of course, we played well, individually and collectively, we will come to that anon, but against a developing Irish side still a very long way from All Black standards I found this South African performance depressing in the extreme.
Whether it is the quota system or the number of South Africans plying their trade abroad (and dare I suggest we have one of their very best now a proud Limerick man based on Shannonside) South Africa as a rugby powerhouse has lost its way.
On Saturday the ‘Boks dominated possession (54%/46%) and territory (55%/45%) yet we scored eight times to one, crossing for four tries with none conceded. According to the official statistics we made seven line breaks to their one although for the life of me I cannot recall that one. Watching the game as it unfolded I thought the visitors had even more of the ball but we will accept the statisticians findings as complete.
Maybe it is because I am of a different era but I still view South Africa as I do New Zealand. If nothing else this game (in a sense even more than the 57 point drubbing in North Harbour) brought home the reality as I watched this Springbok outfit move laterally from side to side.
Of course, the Irish defence was superb and Andy Farrell can once again take a bow but isn’t it a sad indictment on rugby in the Rainbow Republic in 2017 that Ireland recording their seventh win in 26 attempts (six in the last nine) controlled this game so convincingly on either side of the ball.
As one brought up in awe of South African rugby and not disappointed in playing terms by my one and only experience in that capacity there I found this Springbok display depressing.
But let it not detract one iota from yet another superb team performance from team Ireland under Schmidt’s watch.
No World Cup, no semi-final yet, no Grand Slam just a winning performance of which we as a still relatively small rugby nation should be immensely proud.
Johnny Sexton picked up Man of the Match but there were so many decked in grey (ouch) competing for that gong and in every sector of the side.
From Cian Healy at loose head to Rob Kearney in the last line and beyond that again to the second debutant, Darren Sweetnam wearing 23.
The ground work had been laid in the opening hour but the impact off the Irish bench in that final quarter was living proof of an ever growing squad.
The cohesion and line speed in defence, the quality of the drift, the competitiveness at the breakdown added enormously to the Springbok discomfort.
The Bundee Aki presence was there for all to see with his personality stamped over every justifiable high five from first whistle to last. He is now like CJ, Rob (Herring), Jared and Richardt a fully fledged Ireland rugby international. The system still reeks but welcome on board Bundee.
I have no doubt the target in the team room for the Guinness series was three wins from three and that will remain in place.
The next challenge is in balancing the demands of Fiji against those of Argentina and just how close to the tour of the US and Japan when the Lions — effectively the senior team were in New Zealand the squad to face the Fijians will be.
Just to put it in perspective... Luke Fitzgerald retires prematurely, Simon Zebo announces his move abroad and Keith Earls, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Craig Gilroy, Dave Kearney and Fergus McFadden are all out of the frame for one reason or another. Along comes Andrew Conway and Jacob Stockdale (the perfect fit on the left) and how after Saturday’s performance could you possibly leave either player out of the final game against the Pumas. And note we haven’t even mentioned Jordan Larmour, Darren Sweetnam Adam Byrne and the rest still coming through.
It is difficult not to feel for South African rugby but has there ever been a more exciting or more optimistic time for the game in this country going forward?