Ireland back their adopted South Africans to show Boks what they’re missing

Rory Keane reports from Cape Town

SIMON EASTERBY HAS backed Ireland’s adopted South Africans to show the Springboks what they’re missing in this month’s three-Test series.

CJ Stander, Richardt Strauss and Quinn Roux have all returned to their homeland as part of Joe Schmidt’s 32-man squad.

Ireland trained today with Table Mountain in the background. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

All three have qualified for Ireland under the controversial three-year residency rule and all three have strong ties to the Rainbow Nation.

Stander once captained the Baby Boks at Newlands, the venue for Saturday’s first Test, while Quinn Roux came through the Stormers system before moving to Leinster in 2012.

Strauss, who made his debut against South Africa in 2012, is set to face his cousin Adriaan Strauss, who will captain the Boks for the forthcoming series.

“He plays with his heart on his sleeve and is a real leader. He’ll be emotional at the weekend along with Quinn and Richardt. [They’re] guys that are very passionate about where they were brought up but hugely passionate about wearing the green jersey.

“To a man that has come through, not just in this week since arriving in South Africa, but also the build-up. You get a sense that they’re very keen to show the country that they were born in what they’re missing.”

Forwards coach Easterby played a key role in Ireland’s most recent victory against the Boks – an impressive 29-15 win at the Aviva Stadium in November 2014.

CJ Stander will be an important figure in his native land. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

Heyneke Meyer – head coach at that time – and his squad arrived in Dublin full of confidence having defeated the All Blacks during the summer, but an injury-ravaged Irish team played the visitors off the pitch that night with Rhys Ruddock, playing out of position at openside flanker, crashing through for a crucial try from a well-worked lineout move.

Easterby, who had recently replaced John Plumtree as forwards coach, masterminded several clever ploys against the giant Boks pack including not contesting their much-vaunted lineout drives by standing off.

“I think there’s a combination of things that you need to do in order to win a Test match. One of them is to be as physical as a team if not out-muscle them. Another is to play smart,” Easterby explains.

“Certainly, our physicality has to be right up there on Saturday but we need to play smart as well.”

Keith Earls and Jamie Heaslip are the only players in the travelling squad who have experienced a Test series in the rugby cauldrons of South Africa, the pair having toured with Ian McGeechan’s British and Irish Lions squad in 2009.

In Easterby, however, Ireland will be able to draw on the experience of a coach who featured in the last tour of South Africa back in 2004.

Easterby spoke after Ireland’s session in Cape Town. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

The former Scarlets flanker played in both Tests, alongside David Wallace and Anthony Foley, as Eddie O’Sullivan’s side fell to hard-fought defeats in Bloemfontein and Cape Town.

“It’s a huge challenge, I was here in 2004 and played in the two Tests so it’s a massive challenge coming into a country that is a hugely passionate about the game of rugby,” says Easterby.

“With that challenge presents some real opportunities for us as well and we’ve got a really exciting crop of players and we’re going to learn a lot about those players over the next three weeks.”