Ireland Relish Facing 'world's Best' South Africa

Head coach Andy Farrell says Ireland will relish nan opportunity to trial themselves against nan "best successful nan world" successful Saturday's heavyweight autumn tussle against South Africa astatine Aviva Stadium.

Farrell's broadside prepared for a reunion pinch nan double world champions pinch a record 46-19 win complete Australia successful Dublin connected Saturday.

South Africa are nan world's top-ranked squad and person beaten Japan, France and Italy this period aft retaining nan Rugby Championship successful October.

"[They are] nan champion successful nan world. Everyone's talking astir them and nan type of rugby that they're playing," said Farrell.

"A rich | vein of shape and rightly so. They've played immoderate superb stuff.

"It's a awesome measurement to decorativeness disconnected our autumn. The past crippled astatine nan Aviva. The lads will cognize what it intends to everyone successful Irish rugby arsenic well, truthful we'll look guardant to that."

Farrell, who has won 3 retired of 4 games against South Africa arsenic Ireland coach, added: "You ever want to trial yourself against nan best.

"Certainly successful this infinitesimal successful time, South Africa are decidedly nan champion and we relish that benignant of opportunity to spot wherever we're at."

Following a dispiriting conclusion by New Zealand and an underwhelming triumph complete Japan, Ireland were backmost to adjacent their champion against nan Wallabies, pinch Mack Hansen scoring a first-half hat-trick earlier second-half tries from Caelan Doris, Ryan Baird and Robbie Henshaw.

But Farrell insists his players must find an moreover amended capacity to contradict nan Boks a first triumph successful Dublin since 2012.

"I don't deliberation it will needfully beryllium enough, but I for illustration nan measurement that we sewage retired of nan measurement of ourselves," added Farrell.

"Last week, aft a mates of errors we conscionable went wrong ourselves a small spot and it didn't hap this week because location were plentifulness of mistakes.

"It's ever going to hap successful Test lucifer rugby anyway, ne'er mind pinch nan conditions nan measurement they were. I suppose that's nan astir pleasing portion for me."

Ireland person won 4 of nan past 5 encounters pinch South Africa, but Rassie Erasmus' broadside get successful Dublin having beaten France and Italy contempt first-half reddish cards successful some games.

South Africa's triumph complete Six Nations champions France successful Paris was particularly eye-catching arsenic they produced a stunning second-half capacity to triumph 32-17 having trailed by a constituent astatine nan break pursuing fastener Lood de Jager's reddish card.

Asked what he likes astir about nan Boks from a coaching perspective, Farrell said: "I deliberation it's their power and enthusiasm, which is astir apt driven from a mates of points of difference, 1 being nan defence arsenic successful statement speed, 1 being nan breakdown and nan different being nan group piece.

"They get their power from each of those bits because they do them really well.

"They cognize their ain DNA but they're capable to adhd a fewer tricks arsenic good pinch nan type of unit they person successful their armoury."

Farrell expects to person Garry Ringrose and Josh van der Flier disposable for action again, but Stuart McCloskey whitethorn miss retired aft being forced disconnected against Australia pinch a recurrence of a groin injury.