Overcoming Fiji’s physicality is precious experience ahead of Springboks, says Farrell

Andy Farrell can sometimes surprise in his post-match analysis, not least in the wake of his team playing Fiji. After the scratchy 35-17 win in the autumn of 2022 the Irish head coach was unusually scathing in his assessment of the performance whereas, understandably, he mostly saw the positives in the clinical 52-17 victory two years ago.

After this hard-earned but ultimately convincing 43-15 win in the Nations Championship, which left Ireland third in the Northern Hemisphere table behind England on points’ difference and a point adrift of France, he found a middle ground. Moderately satisfied one could say.