Nov 5, 2010 Rugby Union
South Africa begin their bid to utter a first victorious grand slam tour of the `National Unions` in 50 years against Ireland on Saturday with the odds stacking up against the world champions.
A Springbok squad without 13 injured players only arrived in Dublin on Thursday, with various of those still standing having played in last weekend`s domestic Currie Cup final.
And whereas in days past few would have minded much for Ireland`s chances, this weekend sees them bid for a fourth straight win over South Africa in what will be the first international match at Lansdowne Road since their headquarters were redeveloped.
Add in that South Africa, who struggled to fall to terms with the new version of the breakdown law, lost quintet of their six matches in this season`s Tri-Nations, prompting questions about the next of Springbok coach Peter de Villiers, and it`s light to see why the omens are anything but encouraging for the visitors.
"It`s a new-look side but with 13 season-ending injuries it couldn`t be anything else," said de Villiers.
But Ireland, who a twelvemonth ago entered the November campaign as Six Nations grand slam champions before drawing with Australia and then seeing novice fly-half Jonathan Sexton star in a 15-10 win over the Springboks, are in the heart of a short run themselves.
Declan Kidney`s men have missed their final five matches, three of them Tests, a run that dates back to their last touch of this year`s Six Nations where Scotland upset the formbook as Ireland, not for the start time, were beaten in a match they`d been widely tipped to win.
But it`s the quality, as easily as the list of injuries, that get hit the Springboks hard.
For example star flanker Schalk Burger has been ruled out of the turn after breaking a rib during the Currie Cup final where the Sharks beat the openside`s Western Province side 30-10.
That match saw uncapped 20-year-old Patrick Lambie score 25 points. But if Jean de Villiers fails to find in time from a mole problem, Lambie is set to initiate his Screen career in midfield, rather than in his preferred fly-half position, alongside the defensively questionable Adi Jacobs - something that won`t be confused on Ireland captain Brian O`Driscoll.
"Hopefully Jean will find in time but if not, Patrick Lambie has played at inside centre for The Sharks before he was stirred to 10," said Peter de Villiers.
Meanwhile the coach, who probably needs at least two wins out of 4 on this trip to appease the growing clamor for his replacement ahead of future year`s World Cup, must determine how best to integrate the attacking approach favoured by Sharks and Province players with the traditional forward-based kicking game preferred by the Blue Bulls members of the squad.
Among those are Victor Matfield, one of the world`s outstanding locks, who leads a side missing regular captain and hooker John Smit, as good as loosehead prop Guthro Steenkamp, South Africa`s player of the year, because of injury.
If Jean de Villiers is unfit, the Springboks will show nine changes to the position that over the Tri-Nations by losing to Australia.
But the likes of the returning duo of Tendai Mtawarira and Bismarck du Plessis should see the Springboks lose little in the way of power up front and Ireland wing Tommy Bowe remains wary of South Africa`s physical threat.
Julian Guyer
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