The Springboks were unstoppable. Scrum after scrum. Relentless pressure. A defence that refused to bend - they brought sheer brutality to every meter of the field. Ireland fought, they clawed, they refused to quit, but it wasn’t enough. In this episode of the Lekker Rugby Pod, Harry Jones and MW Welman dissect a game where the Springboks’ dominance was absolute, yet respect is earned for an Irish team that never surrendered. From bone-crunching tackles to the ferocity of the scrums, this was a match where power, precision, and persistence collided. Brutal. Relentless. Uncompromising.

In this bonus episode of the Lekker Rugby Pod, Harry steps into full devil’s advocate mode and takes MW down the rabbit hole of how Ireland could realistically beat the Springboks. What starts as a cheeky challenge turns into one of the sharpest tactical explorations the pod has ever done. Harry unpacks the Irish blueprint in detail, digging into line out disruption, double top lifts, forcing loopy throws in wet conditions, and using set piece pressure to turn South Africa’s strength into hesitation. The conversation moves into clever ruck manipulation, James Lowe’s punch style kicking motion, spiral bombs, 50 22 traps, scrum psychology, and how Ireland might turn Porter’s pressure points into scoreboard opportunities. Harry argues that Ireland’s best path is to embrace risk, stay unpredictable, and chase errors, while MW questions whether Andy Farrell would ever dare to gamble that big. They dive into Ireland’s box defence cracks, how weather can be weaponised, and why a well timed barge or hurried exit could tilt momentum. Things take a spicy turn when Harry explores the psychological battle, including verbal needling and forcing South Africa into penalty trouble. By the end it becomes a fascinating look at how rugby intellect, timing and bravery could collide in one match. A cheeky, clever, fiery conversation between MW Welman and Harry Jones that shows what the Lekker Rugby Pod does at its absolute best.

This episode of the Lekker Rugby Pod with special guest Jordan Buhrs is a full preview and reaction experience in one! We started by laying out what the Springboks needed for the upcoming clash with Ireland. Harry Jones and Jordan Buhrs unpacked the tactical requirements, set piece intensity, backline balance, and the type of physicality and pace the Boks would need if they wanted to disrupt Ireland’s structured, analytics driven approach. From the value of Moodie’s unpredictability to the role of defence, to the need for cleaner lineouts and stronger scrum control, the conversation focused on the ideal tools the Springboks required for this matchup.Right in the middle of that discussion the real Springbok team dropped and the episode shifted into Instant Reaction mode. We broke down how the chosen lineup matched the needs we identified, where it aligned perfectly, and where the coaches went in a completely different direction. The reaction covered the bench composition, the backline reshuffle, the handling of young talent, the tactical intention behind the selection, and what the confirmed side tells us about the Springbok plan for a high pressure test against Ireland. This episode captures the full picture of what the Boks needed and what Rassie ultimately selected.