Springboks follow Irish example

Springboks forwards coach Gary Gold says his side will copy tactics used by Ireland in Sunday's World Cup quarter-final against Australia.

Ireland ambushed the Wallabies with a physical onslaught to record a shock 15-6 victory last month and finish on top of Pool C.

"I thought Ireland were particularly good that night and some of their tactics were very interesting with what they did against Australia – I'm not about to share all that with you," Gold said before conceding openside flanker David Pocock was sorely missed against the Irish.

"I think Pocock would have made a difference definitely, Ireland had Sean O'Brien that night and I thought he was particularly good and gave the Australians a hard time at the breakdown."

Declan Kidney's men also exposed novice inside centre Pat McCabe by holding him up in the tackle on three occasions to force a turnover.

Gold admits the tactic did not go unnoticed but remains wary of the dangerous Wallabies backline.

"Sure, I mean we noticed that and it was an interesting ploy," he said.

"But the beauty of rugby is that for every strength you have you've got to weaken yourself somewhere else."

"If you have that ploy where you tend to hold them up and keep them up at the contact point it's going to require two or three guys to do that which means you're probably going to have less guys in the defensive line."

"And if you're not successful with that and they recycle the ball as quickly as the Australians recycle the ball then you're going to be in trouble somewhere else."

"That's something that I would imagine a team like Ireland has taken a long time to work on ... and I think there's a danger in trying to change something that worked for you for a long period of time three or four days before a Test match."

Gold insists complacency will not be a factor against the Wallabies, saying the Ireland loss was merely a 'slip up'.

"I think the Australians were a very good team in the Tri Nations already and I don't think they've got any worse, put it that way," he said.

"Obviously the Australian media and Australians will look to the blip they had against Ireland but that can happen and that does happen when you have a string of wins and such a huge amount of success."

"They're still in the quarter-final and for them I would imagine it's what happens on Sunday that's important."