Sexton and Farrell lean into the sense of something special brewing 

'Where else would you rather be?' asks Ireland captain as Farrell's team approach a defining hour in the fullness of health and happiness 

ALL SMILES: Head coach Andy Farrell with Johnny Sexton at Thursday's press conference in Paris. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Every once in a while the atmosphere around a team camp has a near tangible quality to it, and not always for good reasons. 

Yet you can almost touch the good vibes that are emanating from within this Ireland squad this week as they prepare for the mother of all World Cup pool confrontations at Stade de France on Saturday night. Both head coach Andy Farrell and captain Johnny Sexton sense it too judging by their comments at Thursday's media conference on the outskirts of Paris that followed the announcement of the Irish team to face world champions South Africa.

After 20 tries across two high-scoring victories over Romania and Tonga, Ireland will go into this potential Pool B decider with confidence brimming and the luxury of a settled side comfortable in its own skin and seemingly unfazed by all the hyperbole this contest is generating.

There is just one change to the starting line-up with Jamison Gibson-Park restored at scrum-half and Conor Murray, last Saturday’s number nine in the 59-16 win over Tonga, moving to a bench which also features fit-again hooker Dan Sheehan.

Farrell’s team features 13 of the men who kicked off the series-clinching third Test against New Zealand in Wellington 14 months ago with Sheahan and Robbie Henshaw still both present among the replacements, which was news to the Ireland boss when presented with that nugget at his press conference. What is not a shock to either him or the skipper, though, is the positivity currently coursing through their squad.

Sexton intimated as much when asked whether he ever gets a feeling from the players that they are going to be “on it” come matchday.

“You certainly do, yeah,” the 115-cap veteran said. “You get a feeling the minute you step onto the pitch on Monday.

“We were still in recovery mode on Monday after Tonga but you do get a feeling among the group and amongst the leadership and it’s very exciting.

“Where else would you rather be? That’s what we’ve been saying to ourselves all week. We do get a sense of it in training, yeah.” 

Farrell has seen it too, adding of his assured and consistent selection so far at this tournament: “That is the feeling that we do get because of what we’ve been through and how we’ve trained and how we’ve prepared as well. There’s certainly a spring in the boys step this week.

“It doesn’t get any better, does it? They’ll be relishing this game as much as we will be. Two good teams going at it and in form, and it will all be about who handles the pressure on the day the best.” 

The Grand Slam-winning coach also repeated his consistent request for his players to be true to themselves and stay focused on the task at hand in the face of possibly their greatest challenge to date as they chase a 16th Test win in succession against a powerhouse Springbok team.

“That’s what top teams do,” Farrell said. “They’re able to compartmentalise what’s going on to the reality and the big show etc and it’s something that we’ve got better at, certainly over the last couple of years and it’s for occasions like this.

“I’m sure we’ll be tested, our emotions will be tested, but how we make sure we play the game that’s in front of our faces is pretty important.” 

With an unchanged forward pack and a first-choice backline featuring a 50th Ireland cap at inside centre for the in-form Bundee Aki, as well as a replacements bench boosted by the return of hooker Sheehan for a potential World Cup debut, Ireland appear extremely comfortable in their own skin. They're also utterly unperturbed by South Africa’s deployment of a seven-strong “Bomb Squad” of forwards and just one backline replacement, Farrell staying true to himself and sticking with a five-three split of forwards and backs.

Motivation will look after itself and the head coach feels his players could not be in better place heading to Stade de France.

“It’s like every week that you prepare nice and early, review and then the learn the lessons and prepare for the next opposition. At the same time you get a sense of when the players start to bond on the plan, on the week. It tends to be a little bit quicker than normal in weeks like this and that’s the case this week.”