Victor: Why South Africa Will Win. And Trimby: Good Luck to Both — But Don't Dismiss Ireland

· Aug 2, 2026

VICTOR

I want to start with something JK said. He said South Africa haven't been put under sustained pressure this year. He's right. But you know why? Because we don't allow it.

That is not the same thing as being untested.

People watch South Africa and they see the result. They don't see what's underneath. They don't see what Rassie has built — a squad so deep that when Grant Williams, Faf de Klerk, Cobus Reinach, and Herschel Jantjies are all out injured, Ambrose Papier comes in and scores tries from everywhere and looks like he's been playing test rugby for years. That is not luck. That is a system.

What I want JK to understand — and I'll keep saying it until he listens — is that South Africa's physicality at breakdown and at the gain line is not a style choice. It's a weapon. The most effective weapon in world rugby right now. And when you face it for the first time at test level, in South Africa, at altitude, it is a different proposition to what you've been facing in the Nations Championship.

We have had three or four different players at first five this season. We've rotated the squad more aggressively than any team in world rugby. We've lost senior players to injury and not flinched. We went to Eden Park — and yes, JK, that did feel special — and won. We are the number one team in the world and we have been for a reason.

The All Blacks are playing better rugby. I'll give JK that. Under Dave Rennie, they look more like themselves. That first half against Ireland was genuinely impressive. But I want to see them do it against our rush defence, our line speed, our ability to slow ball and make their nine make decisions under pressure. That's when we'll find out what this team is really made of.

I believe 3-1 South Africa. And I am not saying that because I'm South African. I'm saying it because of what I've seen this year, and because I know what it takes to win test series in South Africa. The All Blacks know it too. They haven't done it since 1996.

— — —

TRIMBY

First of all, I'd like to thank both of these gentlemen for the last two years of generously letting me get a word in approximately once every four episodes.

I want to say something about this rivalry before I make my Ireland point. I mean it when I say good luck to both sides. What's about to happen — a full provincial tour followed by four tests — is exactly what rugby needs more of. JK is right about that. The midweek games, the provinces playing the games of their lives, the history of it. I've genuinely been looking forward to this.

Now. Ireland.

Three weeks ago people were saying Irish rugby was in crisis. Three weeks later, after what happened at Twickenham, the conversation was about whether Ireland had solved everything. That is the Jekyll and Hyde quality that JK keeps talking about, and he's absolutely right that it's real. But here's what I'd say: the big players turned up at Twickenham. Caelan Doris, Dan Sheehan, Stuart McCloskey — the players who needed to perform, performed. That is not nothing.

Jack Crowley had a less-is-more performance and it worked. He didn't need to be the rock star. He gave the ball early, got into shape, let Ringrose and McCloskey do damage outside him. And when your 9 and 12 are that good, that's the right call. That's a sign of maturity.

Victor thinks Ireland can't string three big performances together in a World Cup. JK forgets to mention Ireland at all, which is quite something given we're the reigning Six Nations champions. But I've played against these All Blacks and I've played against South Africa. I know what both of them are like when they're fully wound up. And I also know that Ireland, at their best, can cause both of them serious problems.

The window is real. The depth questions are real too — I won't pretend they're not. But don't write Ireland off for next year's World Cup on the basis of a bad fortnight in February. The good fortnight came right after. That's this team. It has always been this team.

Good luck to South Africa. Good luck to the All Blacks. And just remember: two years ago everyone said the same things about both of you that they're saying about Ireland now.