Canny Boks 'have a lot more than just brutes running at you', warns Dan Sheehan
Dan Sheehan at Ireland Rugby Squad Training. Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady
It was only as an unwilling witness from the sidelines at Durban’s King’s Park that Dan Sheehan realised the bone-shuddering enormity of the physical challenge posed by the Springboks.
The Ireland hooker had sustained a serious knee injury in the white heat of just such a battle seven days earlier at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld and had an eye-level viewpoint as the two rivals went toe to toe a second time, Andy Farrell’s avenging the previous week’s 27-20 loss with a famous 25-24 win.
“I was sitting beside Bundee (Aki), the two of us when we were injured after the first game, and we were almost on the pitch and just sort of watching the different collisions happening in front of you,” Sheehan said this week.
"It's kind of weird, when you're watching it on the sideline it feels like something you haven't been a part of. I'd almost be feeling it sometimes when you're watching AIL, I'm like, these lads are flying into each other here, I don't know if I'd be able to cope.
“But it's funny when you're on the pitch and you just manage with it.”
Sheehan is more than ready for his next meeting with the back-to-back world champions, at a sold-out Aviva Stadium on Saturday (5:40pm) and he knows what it is coming as the Springboks visit Dublin looking for their first win on Irish soil since 2012.
“You have to have probably your most physical game of the year against South Africans but also they've mastered their gameplan and we need to be all over our gameplan as well.
"They have a lot more than just brutes running at you. It's kicking game, it's passing, it's quick backs in the wider channels, it's a bit of everything. We've talked about being mentally and physically drained at the end of the 80 minutes and mentally is probably the main one, you need to be switched on for the full 80 minutes and how we go about that during the week, how we put that into practice in our training, it started (Tuesday) already but that will be a massive challenge."
Sheehan added: "I suppose it's like most Test games, physicality is always talked about when you put on an Irish jersey, but of course when you're coming up against the world champions, two times in a row now, it's got to be at the forefront of your mind.
"But also you can't let it overtake your mind and we've got to focus on ourselves and make sure we can bring our game plan to the table and not wait and see what they bring. So we'll be going out with an attacking mindset and seeing how we go."
Ireland have won of the last five meetings with South Africa stretching back to 2017, their aforementioned loss in Pretoria countered with two wins in Dublin (2017, 2022), a World Cup pool success at Stade de France in 2023 and that Durban victory secured by Ciaran Frawley’s two late drop goals. Yet Sheehan articulated a view shared by all inside the Irish camp that this current Springbok line-up is worthy of the utmost respect and as the number one side in World Rugby’s men’s rankings, the yardstick by which Ireland will be judged.
"I've had loads of good memories against South Africa. I remember the game, 2022 autumn, that was a super win in the Aviva and then obviously the World Cup, another super win and that will be etched in my memory forever and we've had some proper battles with them over the last couple of years.
"It's always an exciting game to be a part of and I think everyone's really looking forward to getting up for the World Champions coming to town and see where we are.
"I think it's a great marker to show where we are at because I think we've been building nicely every week so far. It's been a bit of a slow start maybe, but hopefully we can add to the performance again."
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