A scenario exists where a bonus-point win for Scotland by a margin of 21 points or more combined with Ireland collecting a bonus point for scoring at least four tries in Saturday’s Pool B clash in Paris would put both into the quarter-finals while eliminating the Rugby World Cup holders
Last Updated: 03/10/23 3:23pm
Ireland assistant Mike Catt insists the team are focused on nothing other than beating Scotland
Mike Catt dismissed suggestions Ireland could collude with Scotland in Saturday’s pivotal Rugby World Cup clash in Paris in order to send home South Africa.
A bonus-point victory for Scotland by a margin of 21 points or more combined with Andy Farrell’s side collecting a losing bonus point for scoring at least four tries would put both nations in the quarter-finals while eliminating the reigning champions.
Ireland assistant Catt was adamant the desire to beat their Six Nations rivals trumped any considerations of what fate might befall the Springboks, however.
“Firstly, I’d ask you, would we want Scotland to beat us by 21 points?” Catt said. “If you asked any player in this room, any of us, would they want Scotland to beat you by 21 points? No, sorry.
“Andy is fully aware of what’s going and what needs to happen.
“Ultimately, both teams need to win the game. If you do that then you put yourself in a good position. That’s what we will try and achieve.”
South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber insisted rugby is “clean” as he brushed off a potential conspiracy after being asked about the situation on Sunday following his side’s 49-18 win over Tonga.
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Take a look at all the action from Sunday in the Rugby World Cup, with Australia taking on Portugal and South Africa facing Tonga.
“Could I believe in a scenario that they will decide ‘okay, we want to get this amount of points and then get South Africa out of the way’?” Nienaber said.
“That would probably be match-fixing, I would say. I hope not, rugby is clean. We wear those T-shirts, so hopefully not because that would be extremely disappointing, don’t you think?”
Catt, unsurprisingly, gave short shrift to any notions of collusion when asked about Nienaber’s match-fixing comment.
“I don’t know what to say about that,” Catt said. “I think he was asked the question, wasn’t he? He didn’t actually say it was match-fixing, did he?
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James Cole reflects on Ireland’s 13-8 win over South Africa in Pool B.
“That stuff is just white noise in the background. No, we’re not going to go in cahoots with Scotland.”
Ireland have won a national-record 16 matches in a row following their 13-8 success over the Springboks on September 23, in addition to 12 of the last 13 meetings with Scotland.
Extending those impressive streaks by once again defeating their Six Nations rivals would comfortably secure progression from the so-called ‘Pool of Death’ as group winners and avoid any unnecessary nail biting.
Catt, a World Cup winner with England in 2003, is in no doubt the world’s top-ranked team, who backed up last summer’s series triumph in New Zealand with Grand Slam glory, are comfortable with handling the weight of expectation.
Ireland scored a statement win over World Cup holders South Africa in Pool B
“I think that’s where the trip to New Zealand last year put ourselves in those situations, the Six Nations and winning the Grand Slam on the back of that with England and Scotland, those games,” Catt said.
“We’re well-aware and we understand what needs to be done and if we put in a performance defensively and in attack, then there’s a chance that things will go our way, but it’s going to be a proper Test match, and that’s why we play the game.
“History is history – it doesn’t come into it at all, from our point of view. We’ve prepared well for this game, we’ve had a weekend off on the back of that South Africa game, and we need to chase our potential.
“We need to make sure we go up another level to what we were against South Africa.”