To start with a sobering statistic, it's 30 years since any team other than New Zealand have beaten South Africa at Loftus Versfeld.
To start with a sobering statistic, it's 30 years since any team other than New Zealand have beaten South Africa at Loftus Versfeld.
These opportunities don’t come around often, as this week’s matchday squad illustrates, with 11 of the starting side and 17 of the matchday 23 set to play their first Test in South Africa. "They've a great insight into what we've done, and likewise we know some of their people very intimately as well, and have spent a lot of time with them rugby-wise," Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony said.
While it’s a significant risk, it’s also an exciting one. In Osborne’s short career to date, it’s clear to see he has a high ceiling to his game, and not just because he’s 6ft 4in. While there is a place on the bench for Stormers prospect Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulum, their starting team is as expected, with 15-cap wing Kurt-Lee Arendse the least experienced member of the line-up.
Paul O’Connell, Peter O’Mahony and Tadhg Beirne have all stressed that the Irish setpiece has had the repairs it needed, but it remained unconvincing in the Six Nations.
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