Stephen Ferris: I'm still saying Ireland are going to win the World Cup

As the compelling contest between Ireland and South Africa played out at the Stade de France on Saturday night, it was almost easy to forget that this was just a pool game.

In the end, Andy Farrell's side came out on top by a five-point margin and both the Irish and Springboks will fancy their chances of getting to the World Cup final - a place many of the current South African squad got to four years ago on route to victory while Ireland have still to negotiate the perennial barrier of a quarter-final.

If the two teams are to meet again during this tournament - neither side will even be thinking that far ahead given the tough challenges to come between now and then - it can only happen with a second date on World Cup final day itself at the same St Denis location that played host to a classic.

While Ireland hold the bragging rights, former international Stephen Ferris expects South Africa to make tweaks after learning lessons from Saturday night, although he still expects Farrell's team to go all the way.

"It feels like if Ireland were playing South Africa again that I'd be slightly worried, just because they're able to back it up week in, week out at that level where Ireland usually would be playing Italy this week or Wales at home," the former Ireland and Ulster back-row told RTÉ 2fm's Game On, contrasting the intensive gauntlets that the Rugby Championship and Six Nations can provide to the world's current number one and two sides.

"The physicality that was shown, (South Africa) will have a lot of learnings from it as well no doubt.

"If they go into a Rugby World Cup final - if they get there - with a place kicker who they can rely on in Handre Pollard, they might have a specialised hooker on the bench else as well when