There is plenty working in Ireland’s favour ahead of their blockbuster two-Test tour of South Africa, but the unavailability of Jamison Gibson-Park is a massive setback for the Six Nations champions.
Antoine Dupont may be the undisputed best scrumhalf in the game, but Gibson-Park’s title as runner-up is just as incontrovertible. Over the past several years, and particularly this season following the retirement of Johnny Sexton, the recently named Leinster Player of the Year has become central to club and country’s meticulous fast-flowing approach.
Simply put, the 32-year-old is the cornerstone of Andy Farrell’s system and it’s no stretch to suggest that, without him, they aren’t the same. In absentia, we should see either of Munster pair Conor Murray or Craig Casey partnering club teammate Jack Crowley at halfback against established Springbok duo Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard.
Gibson-Park’s unavailability will be especially keenly felt if the side struggles at the breakdown. If Siya Kolisi and South Africa’s tight five can spoil their slickness on the deck in the same manner the Bulls nullified Leinster in their URC semi-final in Pretoria, Ireland’s intricate attacking patterns will fall flat, as we have seen happen on occasion in the past.
In turn, this will heap more pressure on Gibson-Park’s replacement, with even the great Murray unable to replicate the former Hurricane’s quickness off the base, something indispensable to this Ireland setup.
The tourists’ ability to contest at the lineout, their tactical organisation and exit play is all among the best in the business, and they’ll draw strength in knowing they’ve beaten the Boks in each of their last three encounters: 38-3 in 2017, 19-16 in 2022 (both in Dublin) and a famous 13-8 result in Saint-Denis during last year’s World Cup.
But without Gibson-Park orchestrating their attack at source, it’s difficult to envisage how Ireland can trouble the double world champions for 160-minutes in the same manner they did for half that time in France 10 months ago.
