Ireland's Samoa 'scare' a heads-up for Springboks

Samoa's ability to gain entry deep into Irish territory will have the Springboks licking their lips, reckons Jamie Heaslip.

Andy Farrell’s men finished their World Cup warm-ups with a nervy 17-13 victory over the Pacific islanders in Bayonne last night.

After finding themselves 13-7 down with 29 minutes to go, Ireland scored two tries but never managed to kill off Seilala Mapusua’s side.

Indeed, only for a James Ryan defensive lineout steal on Ireland’s line in the last minute, Samoa could have pulled of a shock to rival Fiji's win over England yesterday.

How easily the 12th ranked team in the world managed to work their way in the danger zone worried former Ireland number 8 Heaslip, particularly on the back of Pool B rivals South Africa's 35-7 win over New Zealand on Friday night.

"What would concern me, particularly in the last five minutes, was how easily Samoa worked themselves outside Ireland’s five-metre line," he told RTÉ Sport.

"It was basic, it was big men running hard and you can be sure South Africa and other big teams are going, 'oh, okay this is what plan A should be against Ireland’."

A serious-looking injury to Cian Healy aside, the unconvincing manner of the team’s record-breaking 13th win in a row, can act as a warning shot across the bow, added the former Lions and Leinster back row forward.

"In a strange way, it’s the perfect game, isn’t it," he said.

"It scares them enough to realise that if you take your foot up, if you are not brilliant at your basics, that includes the scrum, lineout, entry points into the game, you don’t force it, you play the conditions, play the team that is in front of you.

"It shouldn’t take the more senior players to come on to the field to steady the ship, to a certain degree.

"I think