If there's one thing we can learn from the South Africans on this tour, it’s that they know how to set the scene at a press conference.
Last week, the Irish coaches and players addressed the assembled media in an exam hall ahead of their first Test (get it?) against the Springboks, and the not-so-subtle messages continued this week at their new training base in Northwood High School in north Durban.
The school library was the venue for Wednesday’s media activity, while above the heads of Simon Easterby and Garry Ringrose read the words of Hungarian biochemist and Nobel prize-winner Albert Szent-Gyorgyi: "Innovation is seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought." We’re awaiting confirmation if he said that before or after Jamie Osborne’s debut at full-back last week.
After naming his side for this Saturday’s second Test on Thursday, Ireland head coach Andy Farrell addressed the media from their team hotel in uMhlanga, around 20 minutes north of Durban, where just a few feet away in the courtyard smoke was billowing from the 'Braai’ that was being laid on for the players and staff that evening.
Farrell was strong in his criticism of his side after last week’s first Test defeat, and when asked on Thursday evening what were the key areas of improvement being looked at in training this week, he gave a frank assessment.
"Plenty, honestly," was the blunt response.
"Honestly, the coals will go out on the barbecue if we keep talking about where we are at from last week.
"I thought we were passive in most areas and maybe you could put that to attack, defence, breakdown, setpiece, all of that. Just needed some intent."
The Ireland head coach added that he’d been just as straight in his delivery with the squad around the manner of last week’s defeat, and in particular their first half.
"It’s just how you feel the group is, but they are very good at wanting honest feedback. If you don’t give honest feedback, in my opinion you don’t care, or people think that it is acceptable, and all of a sudden if you are accepting something that’s not you.
"We are after better than that and everyone agrees, move on and see what we have got.
"We are playing against the world number one at home after we have lost a game, and we don’t tend to lose two on the bounce. We need to take responsibility for that.
"We actually trained incredibly well last Wednesday and Friday in the captain’s run. We looked sharp and hungry. That's what I was disappointed with in the match – we didn’t transfer it the way that we expect of ourselves.
"We’ve trained well again this week – there’s an appetite there and there is a little bit of spark. But it’s got to translate on the day. It matters on Saturday at 5pm [local time] and the opposition will have a say in that," he added.
As Farrell pointed out above, Ireland tend to get back up after they’ve been knocked over.
It’s more than three years since his side have lost two games in a row, while the manner in which they started 2024, hammering France away from home in the Six Nations, gives Farrell confidence they can show similar resolve on Saturday.
"Marseille was pretty good and hopefully this game will be pretty good as well. Look, to me, we love winning and winning matters.
"I just want to see a performance that we are proud of at the weekend, more so than last week. I can sit comfortably with that, because of where we’re going as a team, the development.
"But I do think if we get the performance that we’re after that we’re more than capable of winning."
Barring any late injuries, Saturday's matchday squad means that 11 of the 37 players Ireland have brought to South Africa won't have seen any gametime over the series, although two of those, Nathan Doak and Dave Heffernan were late call-ups this week after injuries to Craig Casey and Dan Sheehan.
And Farrell (above) says while selection is a ruthless business, it's still been a rewarding tour for many of those who haven't made it onto the pitch, particularly uncapped pair Sam Prendergast and Cormac Izuchukwu.
"In my opinion you should only put them in when they're good and ready. The experience that they’ve had, coming out here, and the chats that they’ve had from the coaches and the feedback from training sessions, how we do things, how you plan to move on with them in the future, has been absolutely priceless.
"I think the evolution of a side, it becomes obvious. You talk about those guys who could have been given a chance but the opportunity that they've had to come on tour, to know that they’re in the frame.
"It’s now up to them. Hopefully their appetite is where it should be for the pre-season, for the start of the season and like I always say to you, and like I say to the players constantly – especially those guys you talk about - selection is up to them, not up to me.
"They’ve got to be able to prove a point to be able to show that they’re worthy of that space because others are not going to give it away lightly."
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