Ireland must be adaptable and prepared to grind out an “ugly” win against reigning world champions South Africa, according to defence coach Simon Easterby.
Andy Farrell’s men head to Paris for the standout fixture in Pool B seeking to secure a spot in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a fixture to spare.
Ireland have won 27 of their last 29 Tests after beginning the tournament with thumping bonus-point victories over Romania and Tonga and have often entertained during that remarkable run of results.
The world’s top-ranked nation will once again look to deliver their easy-on-the-eye style on Saturday evening at Stade de France.
Yet Easterby accepts that may not be possible for the full 80 minutes against a physical Springboks side sporting an intimidating seven-one split of forwards and backs among their replacements.
“We know that when we play well and we play a certain way that we’re going to be difficult to play against and difficult to beat,” he said.
“We’ll be looking to implement a lot of the stuff that you’ll have seen over the last couple of years in what we do on Saturday as we have tried to do in the Tonga and Romania games.
“We haven’t had to win ugly maybe too many times.
“It would be great if we could throw the ball around and score plenty of tries, but we know that we have to do things in the moment and make sure we’re adaptable and that might mean playing certain ways in certain parts of the game.”
Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber made a statement of intent on Tuesday afternoon when announcing a stacked bench containing just one back, scrum-half Cobus Reinach.
Easterby admits the bold selection is a talking point, but does not change Ireland’s approach.
“Every team has a particular strategy and it’s up to them to believe that that strategy is the right thing for each game,” he said.
“Obviously, they believe that’s the way they need to set themselves to beat us on Saturday, just like we’ll be playing the way we want to beat South Africa.
“Listen, it’s a talking point. I don’t think it changes anything for us, to be honest.
“What will determine it in the end is hindsight, which will allow everyone to say it was the right or wrong thing to do. It’s their strategy and not something that we can control.”
Every member of Ireland’s 33-man squad has trained this week at their base in Tours.
Hooker Dan Sheehan (foot) and prop Finlay Bealham (head injury assessment) are in contention to feature against the Springboks.
But number eight Jack Conan (foot) may have to wait until the Scotland game on October 7 for his first outing since August 5.
“Everyone trained really well today,” said Easterby. “Probably Jack’s the only one that’s slightly behind in terms of being able to get himself right for this weekend.
“He’s done incredibly well, as have the medics, conditioners to get him up to speed.
“He’s actually probably on track from where we thought he’d be, so he’s done really well, happy with his progress.
“Finlay and Dan both trained really well today, so they’re back in the mix.”
South Africa pull away from Sri Lanka on day three
South Africa ended day three of the second Test against Sri Lanka with a 221-run lead, with Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs combining to put the hosts in the ascendency.
Sri Lanka resumed at 242-3 but lost their final six wickets for just 67 runs as the Proteas took a slim 30-run lead from the first innings.
Marco Jansen dismissed Angelo Matthews (44) and Kamindu Mendis (48) in quick succession to get the ball rolling for the Proteas, with Dane Paterson then proceeding to tear through the Sri Lanka tail.
He added four more wickets to Friday's dismissal of Dinesh Chandimal to bring up his first five-for in Test cricket, with three of them coming in a terrific 89th over.
Tony de Zorzi put on a 55-run first-wicket stand when the Proteas took up the bat, before spinner Prabath Jayasuriya beat him all ends up with a full delivery.
Aiden Markram also made 55 before falling victim to a sensational one-handed catch from the diving Kusal Mendis, with Ryan Rickelton (24) following as South Africa slipped to 109-3.
However, Bavuma and Stubbs restored calm, sharing 84 runs in an orderly stand that took South Africa to stumps without further loss. They will resume at 191-3 on Sunday, knowing no team has ever completed a chase of more than 271 runs at St George's Oval.
Data Debrief: Bavuma and Stubbs show the way
South Africa were teetering somewhat at 109-3, but some watchful batting from Bavuma and Stubbs ensured they would enter day four in a commanding position.
Bavuma (48*) is now closing in on his fourth straight half-century of the series, while Stubbs (36*) hit the best score of his Test career (122) in South Africa's second innings of the first Test. Anything close to that knock would surely put the contest beyond Sri Lanka.
Nissanka puts Sri Lanka in strong position despite Verreynne ton
Pathum Nissanka spearheaded Sri Lanka's chase as they closed out day two of their second Test against South Africa in a strong position.
Nissanka scored 89 from 157 deliveries, with that knock including 11 fours and one six, before he was bowled by Keshav Maharaj (1-46).
South Africa's Kyle Verreynne played a starring role with the bat for the hosts earlier on in Friday's play at St George's Park, plundering 58 from just 50 balls for an unbeaten 105.
Verreynne's efforts saw South Africa reach 358 before they were bowled out, but Nissanka and his fellow opener Dimuth Karunaratne made good in-roads before the latter was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada (1-40) in the 16th over.
Proteas wicketkeeper Verreynne took the catch, and he followed that up by sending Dinesh Chandimal (44) packing from a Dane Paterson delivery, but by that stage Sri Lanka had progressed to 150.
They had reached 199 by the time Maharaj got the crucial wicket of Nissanka, who was dropped early in his innings, 11 overs later, though the damage had been largely done, with Angelo Mathews (40 not out) and Kamindu Mendis (30) further chipping away at South Africa's lead before stumps, which the hosts reached on 242-3.
Data Debrief: Verreynne drags South Africa out of trouble
Matters looked bleak at the start of play for the Proteas, who were on 269-7, and they had owed many of those runs to Ryan Rickelton, who scored 101 on day one.
Yet Verreynne anchored their innings and dragged them to a respectable total, tallying up his third Test ton in the process in his 22nd match in the longest format.
He clubbed 12 fours and three maximums, with his total coming from a 78.94 strike rate.
But with Verreynne and Rickelton combining for 206 of South Africa's 358 runs, while Temba Bavuma contributed 78, the rest of the Proteas batters must step up in their second innings.
Rickelton and Kumara impress in even start to Gqeberha Test
Ryan Rickelton hit his maiden ton for South Africa, but some impressive bowling from Lahiru Kumara ensured day one of the second Test versus Sri Lanka was an even affair.
South Africa reached stumps at 269-7, propelled by Rickelton's first century in eight red-ball appearances and a speedy 78 from captain Temba Bavuma.
The hosts were left teetering on 44-3 in the morning session after choosing to bat first, with Kumara trapping Aiden Markram (20) lbw for his 100th Test wicket, then dismissing Tristan Stubbs (4) four overs later.
Bavuma restored a sense of calm with his third successive half-century, but South Africa were rocking again at 186-5, Asitha Fernando having Bavuma caught for his second wicket of the day before Prabath Jayasuriya dismissed David Bedingham for six.
However, Rickelton and Kyle Verreynne put on 77 for South Africa's sixth wicket of the day, before Sri Lanka star Kumara ended the former's landmark outing when his outside edge found Pathum Nissanka, and Marco Jansen (5) was cleaned out by Vishwa Fernando with the final ball of the day.
Verreynne (48 not out) and Keshav Maharaj will now resume at the crease on day two, with Sri Lanka bidding to halt a three-match losing streak against the Proteas.
Data Debrief: Landmarks for Rickelton and Kumara
South Africa and Sri Lanka each had a player with something to celebrate on the opening day of the Gqeberha Test.
Rickelton's previous high score in Tests was a knock of 42 versus Bangladesh on the same ground in April 2022, but his watchful 101 off 205 deliveries – featuring 11 fours – dragged the hosts out of some early trouble.
Kumara was the man to end his time at the crease, having earlier reached a century of Test wickets. He became the ninth man to take 100 wickets for Sri Lanka in the format, with 87 of those coming away from home.
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