Why France Poses A Greater Threat To The Springboks Than Ireland

When the Springboks head on their year-end tour to Europe in November, its clear that their toughest challenge will not come from Ireland but rather from France.

The Irish, despite their recent successes, simply lack the necessary qualities at the moment to truly test the world-conquering Boks in a high-stakes match.

That big test will come from the newly crowned Six Nations champions, who conquered Europe despite a big injury setback. Lets be honest, Irelands so-called dominance is overrated.

Yes, they have won Six Nations titles, but their crash out against France in what effectively was the title decider in this years tournament exposed their frailties again. They are not this all-conquering side they are made out to be by certain parts of the world.

When it comes down to the real pressure, the Irish have proven time and again that they will falter. Their game, while solid, lacks the creativity and raw power to break down a team like the Springboks, especially when the world champions are firing on all cylinders and not experimenting with a 7-1 replacement bench.