O'Connell vows Ireland will stay on even keel ahead of best in class Boks

Ireland are, however, under no illusions that their biggest challenge since the ultimately successful 2022 tour to New Zealand is just days away.

EVEN KEEL: Forwards Coach Paul O'Connell vows that Ireland will stay on an even keel ahead of the Boks clash. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Paul O’Connell has backed Ireland’s players to stay on an even keel as they prepare for their pivotal World Cup pool showdown with defending champions South Africa in Paris on Saturday night.

There is little point in the Irish camp denying that this third game in Pool B is anything but a titanic clash, pitting the world number one and Six Nations Grand Slam winners against the 2019 World Cup winners and second-ranked Springboks under the lights at a sold-out Stade de France this weekend.