Ireland admit they feel invincible at this Rugby World Cup as they bathe in the afterglow of an epic win over world champions South Africa. A gripping Stade de France triumph cemented their position as the World’s No 1-ranked side and underlined their status as potential winners of the Webb Ellis Cup.
The World Cup is supposed to be Ireland’s kryptonite – a tournament jinxed for them by past failures but this campaign feels, from the outside, very different. From the inside too. The self-belief is dripping from Andy Farrell’s side after 16 successive victories.
“When we go into the game I don’t think there’s anyone in this squad that feels like we’re going to lose,” said Ireland second row Tadhg Beirne. “There’s just this aura within the squad where we know we can do it.
“We just have to deliver what we’re good at and thankfully we’ve been doing that in patches for a lot of games and that’s got us over the line. Going forward in this competition it’s about making those patches bigger and bigger and hopefully into an 80-minute performance.
“If we do that, we know we can beat any team in the world.” Having disarmed the Nuke Squad, they should fear no-one at this World Cup – and they don’t.
Ireland were unable to paint many of their pretty attacking pictures in such a claustrophobic contest. One first half try from Mack Hansen – the first the Springboks have conceded all tournament – was all they were able to manage.
But, having matched South Africa’s famed physicality, Ireland’s breakdown edge saw them over the line in an intoxicating contest which left both sides well-placed to qualify from Pool B. It was top-end rugby between two top sides and no-one who was present – certainly not Europe’s Ryder Cup stars Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry – would complain if the final on October 28 is a repeat.
“They’re going to grow as the competition goes on and if we can keep going in the competition I’ve no doubt we’ll probably meet them again,” said Beirne. “They’re a serious side, they have unbelievable individuals.
“They threw a lot of punches at us – we couldn’t really get out of our own half for most of the second half – but I think our defence held well.” South Africa, who made a mess of Ireland’s lineout, had to settle for a losing bonus point but could still have prevailed had they not missed four kicks.
Two were penalties from inside their own half from Faf de Klerk but the two stand-off Manie Libock missed were much more presentable opportunities. Libock is a brilliant footballer who created Cheslin Kolbe’s second-half try but his wayward kicking is an issue for South Africa.
“We back Manie 100 per cent, we’ll back him all the way to the final,” said a defiant Bongi Mbonambi afterwards. But with Leicester No 10 Handre Pollard fit again and having joined the squad, the question for coach Jacques Nienaber is whether he does too.
