LEAVING THE SPRINGBOKS team hotel in Pretoria yesterday evening, you certainly got a sense of this weekend being a homecoming for Rassie Erasmus’ side.
Some players sat with their families by the pool while others posed for photos with fans in the lobby. There were smiles and laughs everywhere. RG Snyman was with his two sisters, enjoying being back on what is his turf. His old school, Affies, is across the road from Loftus Versfeld.
An hour earlier, Siya Kolisi had come into the press conference room and shook hands with every single member of the media present, before underlining how happy he was to be back among his Springboks after a year in France.
Today is a huge occasion for the Springboks. They have a score to settle with Ireland in the first Test [KO 4pm Irish time, Sky Sports] and after doing lots of taking through head coach Rassie Erasmus and on their social media, the Boks will lean on home advantage.
The All Blacks have made a habit of winning at Loftus but other teams have struggled in this South African fortress. With the local Afrikaaners and visiting South Africans getting the party started as early as 9am in some cases, there should be a chaotic, brandy-and-coke-fuelled atmosphere come kick-off time.
Ireland opted against doing their captain’s run at Loftus yesterday, keeping it low-key in Johannesburg instead, with Andy Farrell saying that lots of the players have been there recently with their provinces anyway.
It remains to be seen whether the big home crowd or the visiting Irish support have the right to sing their version of Zombie at the final whistle.
The Springboks didn’t get to enjoy a homecoming after their 2019 World Cup success, Covid robbing them of it, so this Test is their first time playing on South African soil since back-to-back William Webb Ellis trophies. It’s a big deal for them.
“I’d go as far as saying it’s a religion for these people over here,” said Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony. “The lift their team has given them over the last two World Cups and going back further a long time before that… I know it means a hell of a lot.
“I’d imagine their support will be huge for them and we need to understand that.”
Things have been a lot quieter around Ireland camp this week. They haven’t responded to any of the Springboks’ mischief in the media, Farrell branding it all as hilarious, and have respectfully talked up the South Africans.
Some of the Irish players went golfing on their day off on Thursday, others strolled around the mall attached to their hotel in the wealthy Sandton area of Johannesburg. It seems as if they haven’t had much distraction from the job at hand.
“People, I’d imagine, are talking about it being a long season but I’ve never seen a fresher group of people,” said O’Mahony.
It’s a relief that match day is finally here. The build-up was made fun by the Boks but as Kolisi said yesterday, it’s time to do the talking on the pitch.
These teams are familiar with each other but there are some key differences from last year’s clash at the World Cup when Ireland won an extremely tight battle on a 13-8 scoreline.
The Boks’ coaching staff has changed, with Ireland’s Jerry Flannery succeeding Jacques Nienaber as defence coach. He has quickly earned respect with his relentless work ethic and detailed analysis.
Then there’s new attack coach Tony Brown, one of the most creative minds in the game, a man who helped Japan to rock the 2019 World Cup by beating Ireland. He has succeded Felix Jones and the Boks believe Brown can test this Irish defence in a different way.
“There probably will be surprises that I can’t give away now,” said Boks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick. “On the other side, we are Springboks. There are certain things that are part of our DNA that we can’t go away from.
“Yes, there might be one or two surprises but I enjoy how Tony upskills our players. But once again, maybe there will be one or two surprises.”
The Boks’ matchday 23 feels familiar but there are some big players missing in Steven Kitshoff, Lood de Jager, Damian Willemse, Jasper Wiese, and the now-retired Duane Vermeulen.
Their strength in depth is staggering though and among the fresh faces is the highly-talented 22-year-old Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who covers out-half, inside centre, and fullback from the bench.
Ireland show some major changes too, with key men Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, and Hugo Keenan absent. Johnny Sexton has also retired, allowing Jack Crowley to step up impressively in this year’s Six Nations.
Crowley is partnered in the halfbacks today by fellow Munster man Craig Casey, who gets a big opportunity to start a top-level Test for the first time. Farrell needs his scrum-half to make calm decisions while bringing his slick passing and high tempo to the mix.
And then there’s the surprise call to hand 22-year-old Jamie Osborne his Ireland debut at fullback, where he has only started two professional games, the last one nearly 20 months ago. There is obvious risk in that lack of time in the position but Osborne is an elite prospect and Farrell has generally been rewarded for his braver selection calls.
Hansen’s injury-enforced absence has allowed Calvin Nash to step up on the right wing and he will surely relish the physical challenge of this Test. The collisions in this one are sure to be brutal.
Otherwise, there is a real sense that this game will allow many established figures to resume the enthralling battle they engaged in last year in Paris. That was an absorbing contest.
Ireland know their scrum needs to be solid and aggressive, not giving the Boks momentum, while their lineout had damaging issues in Stade de France at the World Cup. The kicking game will be pivotal, with altitude meaning the ball travels further and higher.
There was an inefficiency to the Irish attack that night in Paris, meaning they can justifiably feel that there is more to come from them against the Springboks.
We know that the South Africans were wounded by that defeat and unfinished business makes them a dangerous animal. Home advantage means the Springboks are favourites and there is a pressure with that too. Erasmus has happily added to it all week, knowing his players tend to respond.
A win for Ireland here would be momentous.
South Africa:
15. Willie le Roux
14. Cheslin Kolbe
13. Jesse Kriel
12. Damian de Allende
11. Kurt-Lee Arendse
10. Handré Pollard
9. Faf de Klerk
1. Ox Nché
2. Bongi Mbonambi
3. Frans Malherbe
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Franco Mostert
6. Siya Kolisi (captain)
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
8. Kwagga Smith
Replacements:
16. Malcolm Marx
17. Gerhard Steenekamp
18. Vincent Koch
19. Salmaan Moerat
20. RG Snyman
21. Marco van Staden
22. Grant Williams
23. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Ireland:
15. Jamie Osborne
14. Calvin Nash
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. James Lowe
10. Jack Crowley
9. Craig Casey
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Joe McCarthy
5. Tadhg Beirne
6. Peter O’Mahony (captain)
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher
17. Cian Healy
18. Finlay Bealham
19. James Ryan
20. Ryan Baird
21. Conor Murray
22. Ciarán Frawley
23. Garry Ringrose
Referee: Luke Pearce [RFU].
