Joe Schmidt puts faith in pack that bullied Boks in opener

Joe Schmidt has already seen his players succeed against expectation on this tour to South Africa but with one more game to go in this longest of seasons, to win this final Test with the Springboks will be the toughest task they have faced to date.

For all the heroics of that opening Test victory with 14 men at Newlands a fortnight ago, and the continuation of that through the first hour of the second game at Ellis Park, the final 20 minutes of that encounter at altitude has seen the series levelled and the momentum shift decidedly in favour of the Springboks heading into tomorrow’s decider at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

The Ireland head coach’s task is to find a way to get that back and in making the 17th and final Test selection of this campaign he yesterday set out his stall for a bid to add a very first series victory in South Africa to the impressive feat of securing a maiden win here.