Nash relishing chance to battle Boks in their own backyard

Calvin Nash has fully recovered from a calf injury that kept him out of Munster’s losing URC semifinal against Glasgow and is ready to show his best.

Calvin Nash, Oli Jager and Tom O’Toole with members of The School Of Hard Knocks Rugby team. Pic: Dan Sheridan, Inpho 

Ireland tours to South Africa are rare and Tests at Loftus Versfeld, one of the great cathedrals of rugby, not just in the Republic, but in the world, are rarer still.

The sides have only once met at Loftus, back in 1998 when Calvin Nash was 10 months old. The Boks won 33-0 in the midst of a 17-match winning streak under coach Nick Mallett.

But that was a different time when the gulf of quality between the northern and southern hemisphere’s was wide. You could barely find space for a piece of paper to measure the gap between the same sides today.

Nash is as excited as a toddler with a new toy at the prospect of the match. If the chance to meet the world champion Boks at one of their strongholds doesn’t excite a Test rugby player, then nothing will.

Motivation and desire won’t be a problem for Ireland in general, and Nash in particular. The team has a chance to do something no Ireland side has done before and win a series in South Africa.

And Nash, if he starts, also has a chance to measure himself directly against one of the best in the world in Kurt-Lee Arendse.

Nash has fully recovered from a calf injury that kept him out of Munster’s losing URC semifinal against Glasgow and is ready to show his best.

“It’s a massive challenge to come down here. It’s hard enough to win a game in the URC – so I can only imagine what it's going to be like in an international Test,” Nash said from the team’s training base in northern Johannesburg this week.

Nash with members of the team. Pic: Dan Sheridan, Inpho

“The coaches told us about the challenge. Paulie (O’Connell) was saying to us that only one Irish team has won here internationally, so that’s another massive challenge and one we have to get over ourselves.” 

The familiarity of playing in the URC has dulled some of the mystique of venues such as Loftus, while South Africa’s inclusion in the northern hemisphere competition has also created a familiarity between players.

Altitude is always a factor but not something that is foreign anymore, while players hold very few surprises for one another.

“Some of the players (from the Boks) will be in the URC. It makes it easier to find footage,” Nash said. “You’d just be all over their traits and their threats. But other than that we will focus on ourselves while being conscious of the threats they have. But we will focus on our connections.

“(Altitude) No real effect on mindset. Rugby is still rugby at the end of the day. Have to be more worried about kicks going a bit further. But it’s just heightened awareness about that. Other than that, we’re seeing similar pictures and it doesn’t change very much. Both teams have to play at altitude, so whoever deals with it the best will win I suppose.” 

Nash during a press conference. Pic: Dan Sheridan, Inpho

For hooker Rob Herring, visiting South Africa as an Ireland player holds some extra meaning as he was born and schooled in the country.

Herring was one of the players who held a clinic with children from the School of Hard Knocks on Wednesday, which added meaning to his return. The Irish embassy in South Africa has been a supporter of the NGO since 2022.

The organisation tries to create safe spaces for vulnerable children in dealing with emotional trauma by providing access to mental health resources and promoting gender equality in what is still a very patriarchal society.

“It’s massive for me. I know I grew up here, but I've been in Ireland a long time, my kids were born there and I feel it's a country that's given me a lot in my life,” Herring said.

“I'm really proud to represent Ireland, but to be here where I was born is pretty special. I don't think it's any ‘added’ anything, I'm here to do my part for Ireland.

“It’s definitely important to do clinics like this. We speak about it in Ireland, we're always trying to inspire young kids and inspire the nation.

“The Springboks would probably be their idols, and for us to come down, even if we can inspire a few kids to try to take rugby seriously, and all the work the foundation is doing around mental health and gender-based violence. If we can be a positive role model in any way, then why not come down to try it out.” 

Herring admitted that his early idol was former Bok skipper John Smit, who led his country to the 2007 World Cup title.

“I had a lot of inspiration growing up. My family, sporting legends as well. I've always been into rugby growing up, so John Smit was one that stood out to me growing up and everything he represented,” Herring said.

“He was a great leader, and had a good presence about him, and the way he did things, he was inspirational.

“I think you come to South Africa, when you come on tour it's great. You're with your mates, you get to see different cultures.

“It's different for me growing up here, South Africa is a country with a lot of different backgrounds, cultures, all amalgamated into one. It's just a special place.

“The climate obviously helps as well, but I think the whole history of South Africa, where it's been and where it is now, I think it's a really special place.”