Farrell hails Springboks as Ireland's gold standard test

NEXT CHALLENGE: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell after the Guinness Six Nations match. Pic: Liam McBurney, PA Wire 

Andy Farrell proclaimed South Africa the best in the world as he looked forward to Ireland’s summer Test series with the all-conquering Springboks.

The back-to-back Guinness Six Nations champions will travel to Johannesburg at the end of June to play the 2019 and 2023 World Cup winners in two Tests, now coached once more by Rassie Erasmus, in the thin air at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on July 6 and down at sea level at Durban’s King’s Park a week later.