Caelan Doris was surprised by how big the South African team is, especially their powerful ‘Bomb Squad.’ However, he says that this won’t change Ireland’s game plan much. Doris, who plays in the back row, will face the Springboks for the second time in his career during the important Rugby World Cup match in Paris on Saturday evening.
The 25-year-old player helped Ireland in winning a match against the current world champions with a score of 19-16 in November. During a tough game in Dublin, he was surprised because of how big and strong the opposing team was.
The Springboks will again look to impose brute strength on Andy Farrell’s men after naming a seven-one split of forwards and backs on their bench for this weekend’s pivotal Pool B clash at Stade de France. Asked what makes the difference between South Africa and other sides, Doris replied: “Physicality” is the word that comes to mind.
“I remember playing against her in November and being shocked because of her size. “They sometimes do things like six-twos and seven-ones off the bench, and they also do massive reinforcements off the bench.
“But that’s not their only strength. They have a lot of pace at the back and their strikers can keep the ball alive and release.
“Obviously, the physicality has to do with their set-pieces. They’ve got great bats, great lineout options, very strong lineouts and scrums, so they can get those areas right. It will be important to do so.”
Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks’ rugby director and then-head coach, used the stacked bench tactic when his team won the Webb Ellis Cup in 2019. Doris insists Ireland will not deviate from the approach that has seen them win 15 consecutive Tests.
It Doesn’t Actually Change Too Much
“It’s really not that different,” he said. “We’re talking about putting in an 80-minute performance regardless of who we’re playing and we know some teams are targeting the last 20 minutes.” “We’re also talking about the bench not just fitting in, but actually going the extra mile.” That’s going to be important for us this weekend. ”
Ireland, which has topped the Test rankings for over a year, could secure a place in the World Cup quarter-finals with success in the French capital.
Doris feels better prepared to handle the pressure of performing in front of a packed stadium at the Stade de France than he was in last year’s Six Nations when Farrell’s side lost 30-24 to France. There is.
“There’s so much trust and belief in this group that we can do better,” he said. “To do it in front of a crowd of 80,000 in Paris, in such a big game where there will be hopefully a lot of Irish people, it gives us confidence that as a group we can get better and still improve. This means, “We always strive for perfect performance.”
Looking ahead to a defeat against Les Bleus in 2022, he continued: “Even during the warm-up, the atmosphere was noticeably intense, especially with the French and the beat of the drums.” “Once you experience it, it becomes easier to imagine and become aware of it. It will be a little less shocking for me. ”
