Damian de Allende: South Africa vs Ireland will be 'like a war'

On July 6, in the rarefied atmosphere of Loftus Versfeld, South Africa will meet Ireland in the first match of a two-Test series that will – unofficially – decide the best team in the world. A week later the teams will lock horns again in Durban.

It's a battle – or in Damian de Allende's mind more than a battle, "almost like a war" – between the back-to-back world champion Springboks and the team that they displaced at the top of the World Rugby men's rankings en route to lifting the Webb Ellis Cup at the Stade de France last October.

In the latest episode of Walk the Talk, the RugbyPass TV series, de Allende told Jim Hamilton just how much he is looking forward to taking on the Guinness Six Nations champions and putting recent results against them to rights.

Ireland have won the last three encounters, most recently by 13-8 in the pool stages of RWC 2023, although it is eight years since they last won in South Africa, 26-20 at Newlands.

"The Test match in Dublin in 2022 was a tough loss (16-19), so there have been a few tough games against them," said de Allende.

"We lost to them in 2017 when they beat us 38-3. The way the media spoke, they completely disrespected us. So for us as a group and for us as Springboks it is about getting respect back, not their respect, but our own respect. We don’t need to but we really want to beat Ireland. It is going to be an incredible Test match."

Incredible is a word de Allende uses a lot about the Springboks' next opponents. "Ireland are incredible, they are incredibly well coached. Their attacking shape is incredible, with the way they get their passes off nine, especially when they get momentum.

"With Ireland, the biggest threat is the breakdown, they are so good at the breakdown. No matter if they are getting dominated in contact, they still manage to get the ball out quick enough."

Being able to play Ireland in front of their own South African supporters is something that the 78-cap de Allende can't wait for. "I'm looking forward to it the most because it is the first Test match for us together as a group after we have won the World Cup in front of our own crowd.

"We never got that luxury after winning the 2019 World Cup because of covid and everything like that. That first game against Ireland at Loftus, whether I play or not, it is just going to feel almost like a war.

"A lot of people give them credit for being number one in the world because they play such good footy but that’s going to be a flippin’ incredible battle."

• Watch the exclusive full episode of Walk the Talk with Damian de Allende for free on RugbyPass TV on Thursday, June 6, from 6pm BST