Paul Grayson column: Ireland must be both matador and bull to beat South Africa
World champions against the number one side in rugby, South Africa against Ireland is a heavyweight contest in every sense.
Nobody can call it and for me it comes down to who brings a level of intensity that can sustain itself and disrupt the other. Because that, ultimately, is the battle.
Ireland’s game, which has taken them to number one, combines fantastic physical output with technical detail to produce quick ball and intricate pictures under extreme pressure.
It has won Andy Farrell’s team Grand Slams and series wins in New Zealand but it will be tested in Paris tonight as never before as South Africa have physical resources that are unmatched.
In size, weight, movement, power, and aggression they are an extreme team - and that’s only one side of the ball.
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Ireland are more three-dimensional, combining physicality with cohesion. Although the Boks have made strides in that regard they remain firmly heft before craft.
Johnny Sexton scores against Tonga (above) and (below) Ireland coaches Andy Farrell and Mike Catt during their time with England (AFP via Getty Images)
(David Rogers)For the Irish to beat them they have to keep them guessing by alternating between being the matador and the bull. They need to draw South Africa’s speed onto them and then pick the right option.
Sometimes, to continue the bullfighter analogy, it’s waving you’re cape and saying ‘come on then’ and then doing something they’re not expecting.
But against this Boks machine you’ve always got to be ready to become the bull. Go and clear your breakdown, lose some bodies and do it all over again.
Rassie Erasmus: "A few of my friends said that Ireland is our bogey team, but the World Cup is Ireland's bogey competition" (Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)It is a supreme test and if pushed I just favour South Africa. Then again it might well come down to goal kicking and they’re really not great at that.
This is a big day for Farrell and Mike Catt, both part of the England management team replaced after the 2015 World Cup.
I guess a part of them will still have that in their mind and will want to banish it with a really successful World Cup here.
Dupont suffered a facial fracture after a head-to-head collision with Namibia's Johan Deysel and was operated on in Toulouse late last night (David Rogers/Getty Images)What they’ve achieved over the last two years has put most of that to bed to be fair, but we’re all competitors so there will be one per cent of them saying ‘we need to right that wrong’.
'A DISASTER FOR FRANCE AND FOR THE TOURNAMENT'
A fractured cheekbone for Antoine Dupont is a disaster for France and for the tournament.
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Dupont is the captain, poster boy, totem, icon and most importantly a quite extraordinary rugby player. For him to leave the tournament early is the worst case scenario for everyone: spectators, players, sponsors.
Dupont led France to opening night victory over New Zealand in the clash of the two tournament favourites (AP)The Toulouse scrum-half showed prior to getting injured that he can operate on a plane that nobody else can at the moment. In a sporting sense it is unbelievably bad and for him personally, if he’s been knocked out of the tournament, that is just horrible.
France have able number nines that can come in. But it’s like taking Lionel Messi out of Argentina’s football team. They can still play but they’re a very different side.
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