Jackman: Irish depth and variety building ahead of 'open' RWC

RTÉ Rugby analyst Bernard Jackman said Ireland's ability to cope with South Africa's physicality was the most heartening aspect of Saturday's win at the Aviva Stadium and cautiously acknowledged that Andy Farrell's side are among the teams with legitimate World Cup aspirations.

While Ireland had already secured a landmark test series win in New Zealand in 2022, Saturday's evening match-up presented a different challenge, with the reigning World Cup winners landing into town, a team who always traded, in the first instance, on shuddering physical power.

Tries from Josh van der Flier and Mack Hansen early in the second half set Ireland on the road to victory, though they had to withstand a furious late surge from the Boks.

"Our ability to stay with them physically was the big worry," Jackman told Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1, reflecting on the win.

"We hadn't played South Africa in five years. There was a worry that the new gameplan that Andy Farrell was creating, which was around high tempo, may struggle against a team who had more power than us. That wasn't evident.

"Players all week spoke about technique, but they brought technique with incredible aggression, heart and desire. They made the Springboks fight for every inch and never took a backward step.

"Eventually, we wore them down. At half-time, 6-6, people said it was a game for the purists. But it was actually fascinating tactically, how we managed to frustrate them.

"But then you have to take some risks. We saw that for the Mack Hansen try, a brilliant try, really well executed.

"It didn't happen easily for Andy Farrell's team but we can take so much from that win."

While Jackman cited Jimmy O'Brien - introduced early at centre following an injury to Stuart McCloskey -