Friday 24 June 2016 16:56, UK
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has praised Eoin Reddan's rugby intelligence, leadership and competitiveness on the eve of the scrum-half's final game before retirement.
Reddan, who announced on Thursday that he is to retire after Saturday's deciding Test against South Africa, has been brought in on the bench for the game in Port Elizabeth.
His and Matt Healy's inclusions as substitutes ensures all of Schmidt's touring party will have had some involvement in the match-day squads during the three-match series.
"I've really enjoyed working with Eoin for the last six years," said the New Zealand-born coach.
"He's been a part of the leadership group through those six years either in Leinster or in the Irish set-up. He brings a real intelligence to the game and a real competitive edge as well.
"I think his ability to get the basics right has allowed him to be incredibly efficient as a scrum-half and that's what you want when you're in a pivotal position like that.
"His intelligence around the game, his ability to be driving the forwards and be respected by the forwards, has been really beneficial.
"It's something that the teams around him have benefitted from for the six years that I've been involved with him and obviously prior to that, where he had real success with Wasps and with Ireland before I was involved."
Winger Keith Earls also hailed his fellow-Limerick man's career.
"He's a really competitive man," Earls said. "He has a phenomenal work-rate. He was always pushing others to get to the standards that he played.
"At times, when he came off the bench, you could see the intensity going up and that's what he brings. He just gives it everything."
Reddan, who has won the European Cup with Wasps and Leinster as well as two Six Nations titles on his way to collecting 70 caps for Ireland, announced his retirement before the Test team was announced.
Schmidt has made six personnel changes and one positional switch to his starting XV as Ireland bid to clinch the three-Test series.
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