JOHN DOBSON: Why South African sides relish playing Irish teams

Stormers head coach John Dobson explains why the Springboks and South African club sides relish taking on Irish teams much more these days.
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[@user-lw2ng1jb1m]

I love the Bok Ireland rivalry - diehard Bok fan but full respect for Ireland's history and passion (and win record).

[@johnoshea5789]

Really loving how a lot of the SA coaches are being so open with their thoughts and opinions ( John Dobson, Rassie and Nieneber in the national Team, Jake Whyte writing articles in Rugbypass) it really adds a lot of entertainment value to the competitions they are involved in.

[@paulnash5500]

Nobody is forgetting the NZ team. They're waiting in the long grass. It's just much better for rugby to have more than two brilliant teams. Im delighted Ireland, France and England are up there now. Hopefully, the others will catch up. Its much more exciting before a game, not really knowing who's going to win. I hope it stays this way for rugby's sake 😊

[@jmo8934]

Yeah I like John Dobson and he always talks a lot of sense. The Irish v SA rivalry is what is making the URC great. Glasgow, Benetton and some of the other teams are also contributing significantly as well. You can’t take any team lightly. But Irelands elevation the last few years has managed to replace the rivalry that SA had with the ABs which is remarkable and something g I wouldn’t have thought possible a number of years ago.

[@mrneutral-ish9595]

Boks need to beat Ireland first for it to be rivalry. In recent years there's only been one shade of superior green and Im afraid it isn't ours. Go Bokke!

[@louisnel1922]

All of them home games for the Irish, except for the WC game

[@Vellies69]

What rivalry... 😂😂😂 SA played Ireland 28 times won 18, lost 9 and drew 1 and only 8 of those in SA and 1 in Paris... Ireland has been very good the last 5-6 years, before that really average and had the most wooden spoons in 6 Nations' history... There is no rivalry between SA and Ireland - the real rivalry is between SA and NZ!!! 106 test played..!!!

[@spheanniks8131]

That’s why they’re talking about the past 2 years and not all time. There’s definitely a rivalry brewing it’s just fairly new. Also the stat abt the wooden spoons is misleading. We have 0 wooden spoons in the SIX nations. We had a good few in the 5 nations. In fact Ireland have the highest match win rate in the six nations.

[@RazorMouth]

when was the last time SA beat Ireland, must be over a decade ago or there abouts, seriously grow up kid.

[@stephendoherty981]

You must have missed that bit about it being a modern rivalry? Rivalries can start and stop at different times. We have a great rivalry with NZ over the last 12 years. It's 5 wins a piece in the last 10 matches.

[@KrakenSumo]

Ireland is a completely incomparable seperate entity given its post occupation & modern period WOI etc from a historical context when compared to all others in 6 nations etc TLDR Rugby (viewed as foreign) was a tiny minority & resource poor sport in Ireland until only approx last 15+ yrs. England won almost 50% of their grand slams during 1913-1924 while they & British occupation troops were commiting atrocities in Ireland eg burning our cities & towns & slaughtering civilians in stadiums. They continued a trade war to destroy & destabilise the newly freed state until 1948. Only many many decades later after progressive repair of the horrific damage the occupation caused to our country & people & enormous growth & prosperity of Ireland meant ability to invest/fund minor sports ⬆️ This lead to advancements in facilties & infrastructure etc gradual but always ⬆️ Meaning 👉Province success in League 👉 European Cups 👉 International Success Do not make the ridiculous mistake of confusing Ireland in 2024 where many South Africans today are trying to emigrate to with a post occupation decimated (rugby disliking) war torn country

[@Sineadhawk]

You all fall for the bait and rise to it. Stop reacting to everything that is said online

[@MosesMatsepane]

We need to defeat Ireland hard when they come to SA this winter, that group stage victory really blew smoke up their asses. The All Blacks are our only rival, there is no other, and I don't think there ever will be.

[@spheanniks8131]

I don’t think u understand what rivalry means. You think of it in a real cartoony sense like arch-rival as if there’s one nemesis above all else. It ain’t that deep. Ppl talk abt sibling rivalries, workplace rivalries, and obvi sports rivalries. They don’t have to have existed for centuries prior. It’s just two entities that are very competitive with each other and that is absolutely the case with Ireland and SA at the moment. If you look at all the ppl fighting online that becomes vry evident. Like it or not there is a rivalry between Ireland and SA but it doesn’t suddenly lessen your rivalry with NZ.

[@user-is9of]

Not sure what you mean SA got owned in the WC the urc and the champions cup and that's why there's salty SA fans in every irish comment section.

[@shawnberry6110]

@@user-is9of Owned by whom? The URC has the Stormers playing in 2 finals and the Bulls in one with only Munster from Ireland playing in one. The World Cup you were holding on for dear life while we played an experimental game because we were already through. Champions Cup we sent over our kids to play the knock out games because it actually cost us more to fly up and down because we don't receive any TV money yet. Only thing you lot own is World Cup QF chokers tag 🤷‍♀️

[@cathalsheehan9596]

That’s the thing, you know things have gone bad with NZL when a SA fan has to talk them up 😂

[@MosesMatsepane]

@@spheanniks8131 Did I hurt your feelings when I insinuated that Ireland will never be our Rival? 🤣🤣 I didn’t invent these things, they existed long before my grandfather was born. That’s how long it takes to establish that magnitude of respect between two Rugby nations. Ireland is still a baby in this adult conversation.

[@emihlebooi9227]

Iron sharpens iron and the Irish are very much like Iron but so are the Boks Starp yourselves in

[@michaelmoynihan9591]

Last 3 time sa bottle job,s when they play the irish.😂😂😂😂

[@chesedsozo7840]

They excell only when playing the second stringers, otherwise they are pathetic.

[@mahlanguism]

OTB manufacturing a rivalry that never was.

[@shawnberry6110]

There is no rivalry 🙄

[@ciaranbrk]

Out of all the July Internationals which are you most looking forward to?

[@LeMerch]

There is.. what are you on about?

[@shawnberry6110]

@@LeMerch What's the rivalry? We only just started playing in the URC 3 seasons ago and Ireland has never been the rival to the Springboks. So please explain this perceived rivalry that's only been around what, 3 seasons now at club level and never internationally...🤷‍♀️

[@shawnberry6110]

@@ciaranbrk Looking forward to watch my team playing. Couldn't care who they play 🤷‍♀️

[@christopherodonovan]

I mean the Stormers coach just said there is so id probably trust him on this

[@hannesbornman1045]

For a rivalry to matter the teams need to be closely matched. SA URC teams are not on the same standard as Leinster. And everyone is so focused on Ireland and again completely forgetting the ABs.

[@shawnberry6110]

Leinster has only beaten the Bulls and Stormers three times, all at home...🤷‍♀️

[@hannesbornman1045]

@@shawnberry6110 They didn't beat them, they demolished them.

[@Sineadhawk]

@@shawnberry6110haven’t they only been in URC a few years ?

[@jacquescoetzee47]

@@hannesbornman1045 Leinster has never beaten the Stormers. Ever. It’s 3 wins and 1 draw to the Stormers.

[@hannesbornman1045]

@@jacquescoetzee47 Talking about the Bulls, but we all know that if Leinster sent their A team to play the stormers it would have been a blood bath.

[@Kevin-lf4xx]

Complete rubbish.

[@ritzemaritzema-xo4dz]

we bokke realy dont wory about irish, all blacks yes

[@paulnash5500]

Good 😊

[@kookvision9295]

Probably should start...when was the last time Boks beat Ireland?

[@gordondarker4073]

Why is it you're fans never stop talking about ireland then ?

[@henrys4852]

This Dobson guy has a lot to say for himself for a guy whose team are struggling to make the play-offs.

[@user-rn9co7jc4t]

What rivalry 🙄 Springboks rivals are the All Blacks and England Ireland are irrelevant to us

[@washerdryer3466]

Then what the hell are you doing here? Irish broadcast and Saffas swarm every Irish rugby video with sneers and abuse. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@user-rn9co7jc4t]

@@washerdryer3466 well then the Irish broadcasts need to stop bringing up the Boks every 2 minutes 😂😂😂

[@washerdryer3466]

@@user-rn9co7jc4t You're obsessed. 🤣🤣🤣🤣They talk about Ireland. SA is a by-the-way as Ireland play them in the summer.. Again..wtf are you doing here?? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@WSEightyFour]

I don't have the faintest interest in whatever the SA media are saying about Ireland which is why you won't find me commenting on any videos, can you really not see how SA fans coming in DROVES to comment on videos like this just proves the exact opposite of whatever point your trying to make? 😂 Half the comments on here are Saffas

[@ritzemaritzema-xo4dz]

the total record irish and bokke and allblacks go look it up.... how many wc have the irish .... zero

[@cathalsheehan9596]

And yet you can buy a win v Ireland whenever you face them 🤣

[@user-is9of]

SA living in the past cause they won't have a future