Ireland coach Andy Farrell fired up for ‘best’ Boks Tests

Ireland coach Andy Farrell can’t wait for the Six Nations champions to lock horns with the 2023 Rugby World Cup winners and top-ranked side, the Springboks, in July.

The Irish retained their championship title with a gritty 17-13 win against Scotland in Dublin on Saturday. The title – in winning two in a row they emulate Joe Schmidt’s Ireland side of 2014-15 – is some consolation for missing out on historic back-to-back Grand Slams after being beaten by England last week.

The focus for Farrell’s charges now turns to the sold-out two-Test series in the Republic, with former players and pundits worldwide long since debating whether South Africa or Ireland is the leading team on the planet.

Ireland beat the Boks in an epic pool clash in France last year, but their World Cup dreams were ended by losing finalists, the All Blacks, in the quarter-finals, and Farrell is relishing a shot at the world’s best.

‘South Africa are the best’

Addressing the clashes on 6 and 13 July, in Pretoria and Durban respectively, the Englishman told reporters post-match on Saturday: “It doesn’t get any more difficult, does it, or any more exciting than that.

“All you want is an opportunity to put yourself out there against the best and South Africa are 100 percent the best.

“Being able to go out there and test ourselves over there – we’ve managed to win one game over there before – will be great for our development going forward.”

Peter O’Mahony turns 35 in September and was named Ireland skipper for the Six Nations, though he had revealed on Friday he was yet to discuss with Farrell if he would retain the post.

The combative flanker was in tears prior to kick-off at the Aviva Stadium as the emotion of the occasion got to him, and the 105-Test international has not committed himself to playing on.

Farrell, who bids a temporary farewell to the Six Nations – he is British & Irish Lions head coach for the 2025 tour of Australia – seems to be taking everything in his stride.

“To be consistently at your best is probably impossible but that is what we’re going after,” he added.

“But when class players drop out of the squad, it’s always going to take time to build back up and if you can do that winning, or learning from the experiences like at Twickenham or whatever, then that’s all well and good.

“But the reality is that there’s plenty more in us and there has to be for what’s coming for the rest of the year.”

This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission. For the original story click here.