STANDING TALL
Eg3o9sbcoollmidreeignplalptepstllcphlappter of a truly bitter rivalry Puma humbling showed us the way, says Best
The Ireland captain was part of the side that lost 20-43 in a chastening quarter-final in Cardiff, when Joe Schmidt’s men were unable to cope with the loss of a clutch of key players, and says the pain of that defeat has underscored everything the Grand Slam champions have achieved since.
‘Joe, as Joe does, has learned the lessons,’ said Best at Ireland’s captain’s run in Lansdowne Road yesterday.
‘We’ve rotated, given opportunities and guys have stood up.
‘There are more players putting their hand up. We have more depth and we feel if you took the spine of the team out, as happened in 2015, we could cope better.’
While last weekend’s facile 54-7 victory over Italy in Chicago was primarily about deepening the RORY BEST insists Ireland have ‘learned the lessons’ from their 2015 World Cup humbling by Argentina but need to prove it against the Pumas in Lansdowne Road this evening.
squad, today’s clash provides a litmus test of where Ireland are at ahead of next weekend’s marquee meeting with New Zealand and in terms of their progress towards next year’s World Cup in Japan. After an impressive Rugby Championship where they beat Australia away, South Africa at home and rattled New Zealand twice, Argentina have selected a powerful side and Best said the onus is on Ireland to put the heat on early. ‘If we try and feel our way into a game against Argentina they are going to hit us with a sucker punch like they did in 2015 and then you’re on the back foot,’ he said. ‘At this level it is very hard to get off the back foot. So, we’ve got the depth but we also know that we can’t feel our way into big games. ‘In 2015, they had young guys who that are now big players in their squad. They play with width and no fear – so we’ve got to start well and it’s got to be an 80-minute performance.’ With greasy, windy conditions expected this evening, the Irish forwards must front up to the giant Puma pack and Best said having Sean O’Brien, playing his first Test in a year, in the back-row is a major boost. ‘Seanie brings a bit of edge. He’s rough and he’s ready, what you see is what you get,’ said the Ireland captain. ‘You know he won’t take a backward step, he is mentally so tough and expects everyone around him to be the same as him. ‘You always feel when Seanie’s in the team you have a really good chance of winning the game.’