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Ireland believe they are capable of significant improvement moving towards a pivotal Paris showdown with Scotland.<\/p>\n
Andy Farrell\u2019s side underlined their Rugby World Cup credentials by scalping defending champions South Africa to register a third successive Pool B victory.<\/p>\n
Saturday evening\u2019s thrilling 13-8 success at Stade de France put Ireland on the brink of the quarter-finals but they will likely need to avoid defeat against the Scots at the same venue on October 7 to complete the job.<\/p>\n
Players are currently enjoying a few days off following a stirring display against the Springboks and departed camp feeling they can and must perform better.<\/p>\n
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Defence coach Simon Easterby said: \u201cThere\u2019s so much belief in what the players are doing. They pitch up time and time again.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got the reward (against South Africa) but there\u2019s lots we could be better at and that\u2019s the feeling in the changing room.<\/p>\n
\u201c(We\u2019re) really pleased with a lot of aspects of the performance but we know we have to be better.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe games will get tougher.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a few things that have gone on over the last couple of seasons that give the guys confidence and trust in what we\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is another stepping stone I guess towards what we all want to try to achieve over the next couple of weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re genuinely feeling that we can get better and we need to get better as the competition goes on. There\u2019s more in us and we have to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ireland lead their group on 14 points after backing up bonus-point victories over Romania and Tonga in style in front of tens of thousands of Irish fans in the French capital.<\/p>\n
Yet the Springboks and upcoming opponents Scotland can still deny Test rugby\u2019s top-ranked nation a place in the knockout rounds.<\/p>\n
Easterby says Six Nations champions Ireland have proven they are a team for big occasions, having defeated each of their major rivals during the past two years, including last summer\u2019s historic tour success over the All Blacks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not a one-off,\u201d he said of the weekend result. \u201cWe\u2019ve done it in New Zealand, we\u2019ve done it in the autumn series last year against South Africa so that doesn\u2019t surprise us.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess the level of physicality and the brutality of the game these days, that\u2019s something that the players have got to get their heads around and to a man they did that.<\/p>\n
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\u201cYou\u2019ve got to make sure you enjoy these occasions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe support was incredible and those of us who were lucky enough to be at the stadium will remember that type of support for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n