Wednesday, 22nd August 2007 at 12:30 pm

Irish weather floors Springboks

If you thought the Boks were poor on Tuesday night, then you’re amongst the vast majority of disappointed South African fans who watched a lifeless display that was hardly a definitive statement of intent for the World Cup. And there didn’t seem to be much explanation for a very poor effort from the South Africans… until now.

For thanks to the guys at Gallo Images, we’ve got this revealing photo from the game against Connacht that reveals just why the Springboks struggled so much against an unheralded Irish side: the famous Irish sunshine. Bismark du Plessis attempting to block out the sun is a clear example of Ireland’s notorious good weather flooring a man brought up in the Free State, and thus unaccustomed to bright sunshine.

Thus exonerated, the Springboks can only hope that Scotland’s equally celebrated weather doesn’t have a similar impact on the side - more cheery summer weather, of the sort the British Isles generally revel in, could make the second warm-up game equally tricky. Grey skies, rain, perhaps even a little snow - but none of this nasty sunshine. After all, we saw what it did to the Boks in Connacht…