Arabic version: وايت يقول إن فيجي كشفت نقاط ضعف أيرلندا قبل اختبار سبرينغبوكس
According to BBC News, Fiji head coach Jake White said his side “did Ireland a favour” by testing Andy Farrell’s team before next Saturday’s Nations Championship meeting with South Africa in Dublin.
Ireland beat Fiji 43-15 at Aviva Stadium, but the contest was closely fought in the first half, with Ireland leading 17-15 at the break before scoring 26 unanswered points. White, the former South Africa head coach who led the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2007, said Fiji had adopted an approach similar to South Africa’s by allowing Ireland possession and defending against them.
White said Ireland would be “up against it” if they perform in the same way against the back-to-back world champions, who won 24-13 in Dublin last year. He pointed to Fiji’s decision to take a tap penalty rather than opt for a scrum when the game was in the balance, saying South Africa would back themselves to turn such five-metre opportunities into points through scrums or line-outs.
Farrell said Ireland had learned “some good lessons” and would use them for the South Africa game. He acknowledged that the final scoreline flattered Ireland, while praising Fiji’s physicality in collisions, the air, on the floor and at the breakdown. Farrell also praised Ulster back row James McNabney, whose debut lasted about three-and-a-half minutes before a head injury ruled the 23-year-old out of facing South Africa.
