Verification of Ireland's praiseworthy effort against the Springboks came by way of a phone call from the England assistant coach to Warren Gatland yesterday. On foot of watching a video of the Lansdowne Road game, an impressed John Mitchell exclaimed: "Jeez, you guys did really well."
Bearing in mind Wales's vastly improved effort against the Boks two Saturdays before, and the Scottish team's relative progress despite the game's generally depressed state in that country, Mitchell believes that this year's Five Nations Championship will be a good deal more competitive than last season's.
No doubt Mitchell was using his Kiwi contact to fish for a little helpful information in advance of England's attempt to deny the Springboks the quickest Grand Slam in history and with it the cherished world record of 18 successive wins.
In any case, Mitchell's imprimatur, whether it was needed or not, strengthens the belief that Ireland have made strides by all relevant yardsticks - be it the similar starting point to last season against the All Blacks, the Tests against South Africa in the summer or the preceding World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Romania.
To begin with the first, Ireland collapsed like a deck of cards in the final half-hour against the All Blacks. With just half an hour to go, the All Blacks led by 19 points and thereafter scored 29 points without reply.
By comparison, from being 18 points adrift at the same stage on Saturday, Ireland won the final half-hour by 7-3. Now, no amount of belief in the theory that the Springboks were in cruise control can diminish the clear evidence that in terms of fitness and sheer resilience, this Ireland side have come a long way in just a year.
Relative to the two Tests in South Africa last June, and especially the 37-13 defeat in Bloemfontein, it could be argued that the trademark Gatland defensive organisation was already in place then. (While the lack of attacking vision remains as well).
However, the concession of a `mere' three tries was two down on each of those Tests. Admittedly, it could also be argued that the turnaround in home advantage and South African fatigue at the end of a hard, 11-month campaign ought reasonably to account for that defensive progress.
Nonetheless, the ball-and-all tackling was actually better; and Ireland did harry and hound the Springboks into more handling errors last Saturday, thus reducing the Boks' number of try-scoring opportunities. Furthermore, Ireland cut the Boks' opportunities down in the best way possible, by retaining possession for longer. Granted, they did this mostly through the runners up front, with close-in drives - but this is where Ireland are strongest. In terms of keeping the ball in the hand, Ireland have made discernible progress since the summer.
Aside from Keith Wood's try, most of the near misses involved forwards. In fact, recalling how Dion O'Cuinneagain probed the blind side early on, how Andy Ward nearly converted Conor McGuinness's close-in half-break and off-load into a try, and how Malcolm O'Kelly broke on the blind side and nearly put Bishop away, Ireland could possibly use their dynamos in the pack a bit more - both wider out and on the blind side.
As for the performances against Georgia and Romania, there was always going to be a huge improvement both individually and collectively against the Springboks. The two World Cup games did serve a purpose. Without breaking up the nucleus of the side, there was useful experimentation in personnel and, even more so, in style. Not everyone impressed, but it was worth the look, as was the attempt to eschew a kicking game and play the ball through the hand in both games.
It probably contributed to the improved ball retention against the Springboks. Ireland were always going to revert to a more structured game against the Springboks and the Georgian and Romanian experimentation justified that.
It would be marvellous if Ireland could play a wider, more expansive game, but for the time being there isn't one true gamebreaker, as the South Africans like to call them, in the Irish back-line (barring the rejuvenation of Denis Hickie). And whatever else Messrs Gatland, Lenihan and Danagher are, they ain't magicians. They can't pluck a rabbit called Skinstad or van der Westhuizen out of a hat, much as they'd like to.
Admittedly, in addition to the latest wave of young forwards, there is some exciting talent out there; in the likes of Gordon D'Arcy, Andy Dunne, Derek McHugh, Tom Tierney, Peter Stringer, Shane Horgan, Girvan Dempsey, Scally and so forth. But here, a certain responsibility must first rest with the provincial coaches.
It is significant to note that come the conclusion of tonight's game between the Irish A side and the Springboks, Dempsey and Scally will have played more rugby at full-back and scrum-half in an Irish shirt than they have in a Leinster one.
At least this underlines the benefit of the two midweek games against the Springboks. Between 52 and 54 Irish players will have been exposed to them in three matches. Because of their reputation and the lack of playing contact with them, there is an aura about the Springboks which may partly explain the rabbits-in-headlights start made by the Combined Provinces last week.
It leads to the conclusion that there should be more contact with them at representative level, i.e. through the provinces having mini-tours there in pre-season and a reciprocal arrangement here in the New Year. If it benefits the Irish team and the development of prospective Irish internationals, then that supercedes the interests of the clubs.
All in all, it's been good having the Springboks. Time was when you would have cheered England against them next week (despite how unbearable the English would have made life afterwards). The Springbok emblem was the embodiment of an abhorrent political system and no doubt still houses much of the old ways and attitudes. However, their transformed image on the pitch has been reflected off it. Conscious of their roles as ambassadors for a changing country, the process begun by Francois Pienaar has been continued by Gary Teichmann and Nick Mallett. They've been open, accommodating and personable. Heck, they've even become likeable.
Out of the north
Des Fahy's OUT OF THE NORTH column will appear on Wednesdays from this week.
