O’Sullivan Unhappy at Springbok Comments

Irish Coach Eddie O’Sullivan has responded to comments made by his South African opposite number Jake White regarding the standards of Irish rugby.

White commented at his team announcement on Tuesday that only three players from the Irish team were good enough to be considered for his Springbok side. Among these players were Irish Captain Brian O’Driscoll and the second rows Paul O’Connell and Malcolm O’Kelly.

White also felt that Ireland were not traditionally a side that have caused South Africa problems in the past and did not see them as causing too many problems on Saturday. “If you look at the records between South Africa and Ireland, they wouldn’t be considered as one of the teams that would have knocked us over the years.

White also feels that his team is in a good position to win and said, If we prepare properly and play properly, we’ve beaten Ireland twice this year already. So it wouldn’t be seen as a fluke if we do it again on Saturday.

O’Sullivan was upset at the comments made about his team and in an interview responded by saying, “I was disappointed before we went to South Africa in June to hear that he (White) had made condescending remarks about Irish rugby in general. And I was more disappointed again today when I was made aware of his latest remarks. It’s pretty obvious he doesn’t have any rating for us at all.”

O’Sullivan also feels that the lack of respect is not what you would expect from a team who are being hosted by Ireland and he felt that is was ultimately ‘ungracious’, ‘derogatory’ and ‘insulting to Irish rugby’.

South Africa are favorites with the bookies with their world ranking serving evidence to this, but they have certainly come without fear of raising the heckles of the Irish Rugby followers with White’s comments reinforcing the feeling that he simply does not rate Ireland.

This certainly turns up the temperature for Saturday’s game, if it at all needed it. Asked if he was looking forward to the game, O’Sullivan said “Oh, even more so now”.