Defeat fails to dull Irish enthusiasm

Ireland’s series defeat should not hide the fact they have had a brilliant, if gruelling, international season.

Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll said after yesterday’s 26-17 defeat to South Africa at Newlands that the campaign has been a largely satisfying one.

The star centre said: “We got a lot of monkeys off our backs.

“The triple crown, the win at Twickenham, hanging on against Scotland when in the past we would not have…those are all things we can look back on.”

Ireland however will not be too disappointed. Of course, they missed the opportunity to become the first Irish side to win a test in South Africa, but they know that in the end, the length of the season caught up with them.

Ireland’s international season started last July. South Africa’s started last week in Bloemfontein and most of the young Springbok side did not even take part.

Irish coach Eddie O’Sullivan compared the situation to a couple of boxers.

O’Sullivan explained: “It is like one boxer who has fought for 12 rounds while the other just two.”

The coach also had a word of warning for the victorious Springboks.

He warned: “It will be different when we see you in Dublin at the end of the year.”

He has a point. Because in Dublin on November 13, the Springboks will be at the end of a long season, while the Irish will play their first international of the new season.

Of course, O’Sullivan knows that there are a few areas where he has to find some answers.

The biggest problem the Irish coach face is in the scrums.

Ireland dominated the second half of Saturday’s Test, but because the Boks could apply huge pressure every time the teams packed down, they managed to disrupt Ireland’s attacking momentum. And nobody played a bigger part than the rejuvenated Os du Randt.

Rated as the best prop in the word after the 1995 World Cup, the giant du Randt has suffered a litany of injuries since and these Tests against Ireland were his first in four years.

He proved a revelation however and in a youngish SA team, he is the old man who keeps the pack together.

Ireland will be in trouble if he is still fit come November.

South Africa’s dominance up front also created huge problems for the half-backs.

Peter Stringer, Ronan O’Gara and David Humphries were placed under huge pressure throughout.

Although Ireland had the most dangerous player on the field in O’Driscoll, he never really got going because he mostly got the ball on the back foot.

It is an old cliché in rugby, but the team with the platform up front, normally wins the game.