Irony abounds in sport. Ireland’s Rugby World Cup 2023 bid was almost completely derailed last week and the country that beat ourselves and France to the official recommendation, South Africa, arrive in Dublin to play us this Saturday. Can we beat them on the double? On and off the field? Both are tall orders. Beating them off the pitch would be the preferred result.

For Joe Schmidt, the games over the next three weeks offer a chance to look down the road. We don’t need to protect our world rankings for World Cup draws, he is not under any undue pressure to deliver wins and can approach the three games with his long-term hat on. This is in stark contrast to the last few Novembers when there were various sideshows happening around games.

There are no such distractions this time. Ireland play Scotland on 22 September 2019 in the Japanese city of Yokohama and everything that’s done between now and then will be with that game in mind. That’s the long game. And it’s why Simon Zebo has been omitted from the squad.

But back to this Saturday. Of course we will have full houses in the Aviva for the South African and Argentinian games, with close to a packed stadium for Fiji as well, so this will bring a little expectation and the competitive juices will flow, but I doubt if we will see a full-strength 15 in either of the first two games.

We do have some unfinished business with the Springboks dating back to the summer series down there in 2016 but Schmidt will probably still resist the urge to pick his best available side. These few weeks are about finding out about a couple of newbies, the likes of Connacht’s Bundee Aki and Munster’s Darren Sweetnam.

It should also see more game time for potential long-term replacements for old reliables like Johnny Sexton, Devon Toner and Rory Best. That trio are fixtures on Irish teams for the last number of years and all three are speeding towards their best-before date. While we’re hopeful they physically last to Japan in two years, this is the perfect opportunity for potential replacements to stake claims in games that offer true tests.

The original squad for these three tests contained 38 names and was most notable for the name that wasn’t there: Simon Zebo. Sean Cronin, Andrew Trimble, Tommy Bowe, Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux and Tiernan O’Halloran were others who didn’t make the cut. All of them, however, are staying in Ireland.

Zebo’s situation is unfortunate for the player. Joe Schmidt clearly doesn’t rate him in the same bracket as Johnny Sexton or perhaps Conor Murray. Be in no doubt, if Murray was enticed to France, Schmidt would bend the rules again because he is currently the best scrum-half in the world. If he moved to Japan in the morning, he would still represent Ireland.

Zebo’s absence will probably offer an opportunity for Darren Sweetnam, a player I first encountered playing in the Cork hurling jersey. He has been a loss to the Rebels but he could be some plus for Ireland. He has a talent that has become hugely important to the way we play the game: ability in the air. Conor Murray’s box kicks are the strategic default for both Munster and Ireland. And why not, too, considering he is the best in the world at this tactic – having wingers and a full-back who can contest and win these kicks is vital to our prospects.

Rob Kearney’s strength under the high ball, both defending and attacking it, has lengthened his international career and this alone is the likely reason that he has been picked in the squad ahead of Connacht’s O’Halloran. Sweetnam offers options here too. We should see him over the next fortnight and maybe even for the Argentinian game as well, which promises as much attrition as the South Africans this Saturday.

Joe being Joe, he will limit his experiments to perhaps two or three players per game. Sweetnam will be one, and with Garry Ringrose on the injured list, newly acquired Bundee Aki will be another. Stuart McCloskey is the in-form centre among the provinces: one of those two will partner Robbie Henshaw this Saturday, the other might see 80 minutes against Fiji. Jacob Stockdale is another who will be hoping to impress this month.

There are similar dilemmas in the pack but again the focus is trained further down the line. The Springboks will bring their usual physicality to proceedings so Ireland will need experience in key positions.

South Africa finished their summer season well, running New Zealand to a point a few weeks back. They also hammered the French 3-0 in a test series and looked good doing it. They will offer a stern and welcome test. They might have too much for us.

Two years out from a World Cup is not the time to be beating everyone, unless you are the All Blacks. For a country like Ireland, this is the time to be competitive with a couple of potentially exciting young players making a lasting impression. Winning might be an unforeseen bonus. That’s what we should look for this November.

Joe Schmidt will give the stock answer about wanting to win every November game, but these next few weeks are primarily about the next few years. And that’s what makes them so fascinating and ultimately important.

France in Paris on 3 February is the next time we will be putting our best available 15 on the field. Between now and then, some unfamiliar names are going to get a chance to put their hands up for a jersey in the Stade de France. Darren Sweetnam’s arms could go highest this week. CL