Springboks break out ‘Nuke Squad’ but Ireland are unfazed
Ireland know exactly what to expect from the Springboks so-called ‘Nuke Squad’ after Nienaber named seven forwards on the bench.
Ireland aren’t going to flinch before they face the challenge of the Springboks this weekend.
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SPRINGBOKS BREAK OUT ‘NUKE SQUAD’
The Springboks have named seven forwards on their bench to face Ireland but that doesn’t bother their opponents.
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Irish loose forward Caelan Doris feels that the Springboks are always physical and them naming seven forwards on the bench changes little.
“Physicality is the word that springs to mind,” Doris said.
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“It is not just their size, it is the way they play. They are very direct off No 9. They will sometimes have two or three players latched on to a carrier and try to drive them over the gainline.
“It is the way they maul. The way they aggressively go after the ruck. It is partly their size and their actual physicality but then partly the mindset and the way they play that comes with that.
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“Getting those areas right is going to be big for us. That week in Dublin last November we took a step up and we know we require the same this week. If we match them there, we’ve a lot of belief in what we can do in terms of our attack. We have multiple threats. Hopefully defences find that a little bit intimidating.”
IRELAND HOPE FOR A HAND FROM THE REFEREE
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Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty slyly suggested that the Springboks powerful scrum wasn’t operating entirely within the laws.
He hopes for some assistance from the officials to ensure a fair contest up front.
“They’re a very big side, so they want to use weight and power and strength early in the scrum to cause as much damage as possible,” Fogarty said.
“That’s evident in how they scrummage. Stability is something that World Rugby and the referees have talked about hugely. Before the ball comes in, there should be a stable scrum.
“For us as a group to understand South Africa, and for the referee to make sure he’s managing that piece, it will be interesting. It’s going to be a huge part of the game.
“We understand the South African scrum, the power that’s in there and we have our plan. We’ll look to impose our game for the 80 minutes.”