South Africa are yearning for a tough battle against Ireland to prepare themselves for the Rugby World Cup knockout stages, says coach Mzwandile Stick, who warned the world champions “are not going to hold back" in Paris.
The top two sides in the world clash at the Stade de France on Saturday in a Pool B battle that could well decide who tops the section.
Ireland head into the game as the top-ranked team in the world and on the back of a Six Nations Grand Slam, but the Springboks are relishing the challenge ahead.
“We don’t expect an easy game tomorrow and we don’t want it to be easy. We want it to be tough to prepare us in case we go to the play-offs,” said Stick.
“We play our best rugby when we’re under pressure. I remember in 2019 after losing the first game [against New Zealand], people said you don’t win the World Cup after losing the first game. We showed people that it is possible.
“We know one thing for sure - when we get to the playoffs, we’ll go hard. That doesn’t mean we will hold back tomorrow. We’re not going to hold back.
“We’ll go hard at them. We know that they’ve got Scotland waiting for them and we’ve got Tonga waiting for us. It’s not going to be an easy game, but we are well prepared for it.”
There are several links between the nations, with Jean Kleyn and RG Snyman plying their trade for Irish URC side Munster, the same team that Springboks coaching team Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber used to lead.
Prop Steven Kitshoff will head to Ireland after the World Cup to join Ulster, and the loosehead believes that the first-hand experience of members of the squad, combined with South Africa-based players regularly facing Irish sides in the URC, has aided their preparation.
“I think the URC was brilliant, especially for South African teams getting a lot of experience playing against guys like Ulster, Leinster and Munster and trying to figure out at club level how to get big victories against strong Irish teams,” said Kitshoff.
“I think I understand a bit of the mentality, and with Jacques, Rassie, Jean and RG and some of the guys still being in Ireland, you get a bit of a better understanding.”
