Joe Schmidt will be delighted that he has the likes of Conor Murray, Johnny Sexton, Robbie Henshaw, Keith Earls and Rob Kearney fit for this weekend.
The Ireland head coach is set to introduce two relative unknowns, in Test rugby terms, into his backline this weekend.
South Africa provide the opposition for the first of three Guinness Series games and they should be the toughest test. One shellacking against the All Blacks aside, the Springboks showed signs of purpose and promise during The Rugby Championship and will be confident of upsetting their hosts in Dublin.
Sprinboks captain Eben Etzebeth has satisfied his side’s coaches and medical staff about his fitness and he is set to team up with Lood de Jager in the second row. Etzebeth expects Ireland to thrown Leinster lock Devin Toner up against him and suspects Ulster’s Iain Henderson will be is second row partner.
The South African back row could contain a couple of surprise packages, for the casual Irish supporter at least. With Toulon’s Duane Vermeulen fit but surplus to requirements, Uzair Cassiem may start at No.8 with versatile forward Pieter-Steph du Toit [a Bok version of Henderson] deployed at blindside flanker.
Ireland’s pack should contain little if no surprises. Injuries to Josh van der Flier and Jamie Heaslip mean Schmidt is likely to go with Lions Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien and CJ Stander in his back row and another three – Jack McGrath, Rory Best and Tadhg Furlong – in the front row.
The big calls are due to injury and the unwritten rule that ‘Thous must not play abroad, even if it is not until next season’. Simon Zebo would have slotted right in on the left wing or at fullback but he is now on the outside, looking in.
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The bonus for Schmidt, here, is the scandalously good form of Ulster winger Jacob Stockdale. The 21-year-old’s career has been on a sharp, upward trajectory ever since he lit the 2016 U20 World Cup up with a series of scintillating performances. He followed that by impressing on his first full season as a senior pro and has hit the ground running in the current campaign.
The fact that there would be no major questions or challenges, put to Schmidt, of throwing a such a precocious talent straight in against the Boks is testament to Stockdale’s form.
That leaves a midfield slot beside certain starter Robbie Henshaw, who is set to wear 13 in the absence of Garry Ringrose and Jared Payne. Chris Farrell was allowed play for Munster against Dragons, last Friday, so he may not get his chance until the Fiji game on November 18.
The two men vying to start alongside Henshaw are, therefore, Stuart McCloskey and Bundee Aki. The imposing Ulster centre has one Test cap to his name but was left out in the cold for over a year after his debut in the away, Six Nations defeat to England. Like Stockdale, McCloskey has started 2017/18 in great form.
Aki has a fight on his hands but has the advantage of playing two seasons with Henshaw and often partnering him in midfield. Both men have worn 12 and 13 in past midfield iterations and although Aki has played much of this season at outside centre, Connacht coach Kieran Keane believes the 26-year-old’s best position is inside centre.
Schmidt will name his side on Thursday afternoon and, whether he goes with McCloskey or Aki, it is set to be an exciting backline, with the likes of Joey Carbery and Andrew Conway in reserve.
