Bruising Boks win will stand to Ireland - Simon Easterby

Ireland's hard-fought win over world champions South Africa will only increase the team's belief and confidence, says Simon Easterby.

The Springboks missed 11 points off the tee but Ireland, despite losing six lineouts and conceding nine penalties and a free-kick, were five points to the good at the final whistle.

"They pitch up time and time again, over the last couple of seasons in particular," said the defence coach. They've managed to put in performances like that.

"That’s not a one-off. We’ve done it in New Zealand, we’ve done it in the autumn series last year against South Africa so that doesn’t surprise us.

"I guess the level of physicality and the brutality of the game these days, that’s something that the players have got to get their heads around and to a man they did that.

"It was relentless at times, we had a lot of defending to do and at the end, a couple of opportunities for them to have a crack at us and the lineout defence has held strong.

"Yeah, we got the reward but there’s lots we could be better at, and that’s the feeling in the changing room. Really pleased with a lot of aspects of the performance but we know we have to be better."

The Six Nations champions had appeared to fix lineout issues that cropped up in recent wins over England, Samoa and Romania, against Tonga, but something went seriously wrong in that department in Paris.

"The way South Africa defend, they're one of the best defensive teams in terms of the lineout," said second-row Tadhg Beirne, who claimed two throws and a turnover in the game.

"We knew they were going to be good. We had a plan, it just didn't go the way we wanted at the start so we stuck with the plan and then it started to come good for us.

"Sometimes you win some lineouts that