The last thing Ireland’s weary players needed was to be in such close quarters with the Springboks again.
This Saturday, in Port Elizabeth, Ireland play their 17th and final Test of a season that has stretched 12 months.
What began at Carton House for World Cup preparations, last June, could yet end with an historic series win over South Africa. To claim that prize, Ireland must put everything on the line and back themselves to turn over a foe dealing with their own issues.
Much as the players and coaching tried to dismiss the notion, Johannesburg’s altitude played a big part in Ireland succumbing to the Boks at Ellis Park. They were out on their feet as their hosts brought raw power and aggression off the bench to seal a remarkable comeback.
10-26 behind to 32-26 winners. Water into wine.
Ireland will be without Robbie Henshaw for the deciding Test while Jared Payne should be okay despite suffering badly from cramp. The Sunday plan was to fly to Port Elizabeth and reach the team’s latest hotel by evening.
Instead, the squad were delayed at the airport for three hours. They had only themselves for entertainment:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BG18hxfD_yM/?taken-by=jamieheaslip&hl=en
When they were eventually accorded a spot on a later flight, they had to share it with the victorious Springbok team. One hopes the ballast of two rugby teams and their backroom staff was well distributed.
Inconvenient and awkward. The rivalry between both sets of players has been simmering ever since boiling over in the aftermath of CJ Stander’s coming together with Pat Lambie.
Stander will be back in the Irish back row this weekend and Joe Schmidt will be thankful to have one man fit and firing as the finish line looms.
The vast majority of the squad will rest up today and tomorrow. Eoin Reddan and Matt Healy are the only two men not to feature in a matchday squad so may be keen to do individual work with trainers. That leaves Wednesday as the only day left a player can stake a claim for the deciding Test.
One suspects Schmidt already had his starting XV for this game in mind when he selected his squad for Johannesburg.
It does not look as if Ultan Dillane will get the start that so many crave but Ireland could certainly do with him off the bench.
Keith Earls, Jordi Murphy and Mike Ross will all return too. One hopes it is not one game too late in a season of too many Tests.
