A loss to Ireland wouldn’t be the worst thing for the high-flying Boks

It’s an aspect of competitive sport that is regularly discussed, and though it is often dismissed, complacency can be the downfall of any sports star or team.

And while this might seem ridiculous on the face of it, a loss for the Springboks against Ireland today wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen. If anything, it might help.

Yes, I hear you screaming ‘sacrilege!’. The Boks need to beat Ireland to maintain their momentum and ensure they head into the playoffs full of confidence.

Over-confidence, however, can be just as much of a concern as a lack of confidence, and if there’s one thing the Boks are not short of right now, it’s confidence.

Beating Ireland shouldn’t make much difference in terms of the Boks reaching the playoffs, as the victory over Scotland pretty much secured their place as long as they don’t slip up in their last pool match against Tonga.

Nothing to lose

Of course, their position in the opening round will determine who they face in the quarterfinals, but they shouldn’t be too concerned about that. Any team that wants to win the world title will know they must beat the best to lift the trophy, and it shouldn’t really matter who they face in the next round.

More importantly, the Boks need to enter the playoffs full of energy and ready to hit it hard when they step on the field, and a defeat to Ireland today will ensure they stay on their toes.

At the last Rugby World Cup, in Japan in 2019, the Boks lost to New Zealand in their first match and they went on to secure the title. So a loss in the first round doesn’t suggest they’re going to be demoralised to the point that they crumble in the playoffs.

A defeat, however, will ensure they don’t drop their intensity, providing the squad with a healthy reminder that they need to be at their best in the knockout stages.

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All that said, it would be great to see the Boks emerging triumphant over the world’s top-ranked side, and whenever they compete, they give it everything. It’s the reason the SA rugby team have become synonymous with national unity. They play for all of us, and more often than not, they win.

But a defeat to Ireland today would not do anything to destroy their World Cup chances, and it would inject a boost of energy into the squad for the rest of the tournament.

We never want to lose, but on this occasion, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. We could even take some positives from it.