In Ireland’s two most recent southern hemisphere tours, series victories were secured despite losing the first Test.
Against Australia in 2018 and New Zealand in 2022, the visitors looked sluggish off the plane only to regroup and regather across the remainder of their three-game tilts to ultimately secure significant triumphs.
In South Africa this time around, there is no such luxury.
At the end of this gruelling World Cup season, matters are to be decided across 160 minutes – and already a split is the best Ireland can hope for.
Knowing that only their best would likely be good enough on a ground where just one northern hemisphere team has won since South Africa’s re-entry to international rugby in 1992, Ireland were slow out of the blocks at Loftus Versfeld and the World Cup winners were deserved victors.
After a 27-20 loss that came courtesy of a decidedly rusty first half, Andy Farrell’s side are left with no margin for error if they are to salvage anything from this series against the number one-ranked side in the game.
The Ireland head coach was pleased by the character shown by his side to stay in the Test while below their best and can perhaps take encouragement from his side’s substantial room for improvement.
