Murray Kinsella Reports from Johannesburg

TO BE FAIR, the surname could be misleading for someone who didn’t know much about rugby and its former world players of the year.

And there’s no one who would be more understanding and polite about it than Josh van der Flier.

But it turns out the memes are reflected in reality.

“One of the hotel staff started speaking Afrikaans to me,” said the openside flanker, who has been in Johannesburg with Ireland all week preparing for today’s Test against South Africa in Pretoria.

“It takes a while to explain I’m actually Irish.”

It has happened once or twice back home too.

“I put something on Twitter there a couple of weeks ago and all the comments were like ‘you’re coming home!’ 

“I suppose it’s the Dutch surname and the rugby, everyone kind of makes the assumption.”

Whatever about that staff member at the Sandton Sun, there’s no doubt the Springboks know all about Wicklow man van der Flier. South Africa skipper Siya Kolisi mentioned yesterday how he needs to get the edge on Ireland’s openside in the first Test.

The Leinster man has been working closely with ex-Boks defensive guru Jacques Nienaber this season and has enjoyed learning more about the South African mentality.

“One thing I’ve kind of noticed from talking to South African players and even Jacques, it’s definitely very personal,” said van der Flier.

“They try and make it personal in terms of confrontation and make it a personal thing. It’s a way of motivating, that’s the way they like to do it, and they’re very passionate about playing for their country.

“I think a lot of it is what you see. It’s very much a physical test, who is man enough to take you on one-on-one? There’s definitely a lot of that in their psyche.

“It makes for a big physical challenge. It’s the same for any team in rugby, physicality plays a huge part of it, winning collisions, and it’s certainly something they pride themselves on.”

Van der Flier with players from the School of Hard Knocks. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Van der Flier says he doesn’t engage with any of the stuff that Rassie Erasmus and some of his players have come out with in the build-up, preferring to focus on the details of the game ahead.

Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit are familiar figures in the Boks’ starting back row but Kwagga Smith has been elevated from the bench to the number eight jersey after the retirement of Duane Vermeulen and with Jasper Wiese suspended.

“A brilliant player, I rate him very highly,” said van der Flier. “I remember seeing him play for the Barbarians and it was one of the best performances I have seen from a back row, it was brilliant.

“He has got everything – he’s good over the ball, a really good ball carrier, good skills, he’s always very confrontational as well. I can see why they have picked him and he’s a good player.”

Van der Flier admitted that the end of the season with Leinster was mentally tough as they were left trophyless but this series presents the chance to finish a long 2023/24 campaign on a high.

“It can take its toll on you,” said van der Flier. “It’s not like you are playing a game, there’s a couple of weeks build-up and you lose, and then it’s like, ‘we lost,’ it’s a year of build-up or a few years of build-up to try and get to those positions, especially at club level. It was disappointing.

“One thing that I try and do individually is to try to put it in such a way, like ‘did I do everything that I could to prepare for it? Did I try as hard as I could? Leading into the game was I as ready as I could be? Yeah, I was.

“Did I try as hard as I could? Yeah, I might have made a load of mistakes but I can be happy with that and try and move on. That is how I would go about it. It’s tough.

“You put the Leinster season behind you and it is nice to be in a new environment and everyone’s in good form. It’s exciting.”