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Former South Africa flanker Schalk Burger has highlighted the basis of Ireland’s comprehensive 38-17 win over France in the opening round of the Guinness Six Nations as their physicality, which he described as an “underrated” part of their game.
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Andy Farrell’s side rewrote the record books with their win in Marseille, registering their biggest-ever win over Les Bleus, with the 2007 World Cup winner saying they “physically bullied” the hosts.
Burger, who was no stranger to physicality on the rugby field himself, said on RugbyPass TV’s Boks Office recently that France are the one team that can match the Springboks in terms of physicality, but were made to look “lethargic”.
Physicality was not always the key feature of Ireland’s game until recently, but with the addition of player of the match Joe McCarthy, Burger, as well as Jean de Villiers and Hanyani Shimange, believes Ireland have a bright future.
De Villiers joked that this physicality is the South African influence of Jacques Nienaber, who became a Leinster coach after the World Cup, but this has been building for years.
Match Summary 
1
Penalty Goals
1
2
Tries
5
2
Conversions
5
0
Drop Goals
0
93
Carries
113
5
Line Breaks
6
13
Turnovers Lost
7
2
Turnovers Won
4
“I think it’s often an underrated part of the Irish game when you think how physical their pack can be,” the 2004 World Rugby player of the year said.
“The French almost looked lethargic in their defence. If you think about the games we played against them, obviously they know what the Boks bring and how physical we are, they are the one team that could potentially match us. If you think about that quarter-final, they were absolutely outstanding.
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“I don’t think they quite had the same bite on Friday night.
“Their [France’s] biggest issue is that they were bossed around in the physicality. They got physically bullied at the weekend. They couldn’t stop the Irish maul.
“Yes, they had lost Paul Willemse and we know four locks have quite a big role to play in how effectively they could set those mauls. Willemse’s a big unit, he’s quite disruptive in that area.
“But the physicality was outstanding from Ireland, so I think that’s the basis of where the big victory came from.”
When questioned whether Ireland are on course for back-to-back Grand Slams, Burger said he felt England have one big performance in them, and that may well come in round four against the Irish at Twickenham.
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Ireland host Italy this Sunday at the Aviva Stadium, while France travel to Edinburgh the day before to face Scotland at Murrayfield.
Comments on RugbyPass
Who listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
40 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
40 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
39 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
40 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to comments