“Conor has a good kicking game, so we’ll be challenged under the high ball"

Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said the team would be playing for all South Africans when they take the field against Ireland in the Castle Lager Incoming Series decider in Durban on Saturday.

Both Stick and Springbok captain Siya Kolisi expected a fierce onslaught from the visitors, who claimed the Six Nations title earlier in the year, and said with their season coming to a close, it would be a tight battle.

The Springboks beat Ireland by 27-20 in the the opening match in Pretoria last week, meaning while the Boks will give everything to win the series, while Ireland will be desperate for a win to tie the series on one win apiece.

“Ireland have a lot of pride in the way they do things, they are the Six Nations champions, and they are playing their last game of the season, which will make it a huge occasion for them.” said Stick.

“But just like them, we’ve prepared really well, and we know we have to go full-out tomorrow. We are playing at home and for the people in South Africa, so if we can win this match, it will be huge for us.”

Kolisi echoed Stick’s sentiments about the magnitude of the challenge: “We definitely want to win tomorrow. We are not entering this match with the view that we are one up in the series. It’s a new game, so for us it is 0-0, and it is important for the team to come away with a victory.

“We’ve been working hard as a group, and we know how important this match is for both teams. We have no doubt that they’ll come even harder at us than last week because this is their last game of the season, and they want to finish it on a high note.”

Kolisi emphasised the significance of accurate execution to achieve their goal of winning both matches against their northern hemisphere arch-rivals: “In our last match, the momentum of the game swung a few times, whereas in the Rugby World Cup (pool game) it was a massive battle for 80 minutes.

“These games come down to which team can control the big moments, and tomorrow will be no different. We are playing for a series win and they are playing for a draw, so it’s going to be an intense match.”

Zooming into the match, Stick said the kicking game could play a major role, especially with Conor Murray being named at scrumhalf for Ireland.

“Conor has a good kicking game, so we’ll be challenged under the high ball,” said Stick. “And we have to get it right on the day or it could be a long day for us tomorrow.”