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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.
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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.
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“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
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Not sure his comments about Farrells lack of understanding of Ireland were well researched
Lol 2017…
NZ & IRE: 95
SA: 3
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ireland start as favourites. Why wouldnt they, 3 consecutive wins incl at RWC. Its domination really, 8 wins and past 12 Tests. De Allende is just another punchdrunk Bok, convinced the 1pt wins and referee blunders has turned him in to Superman.
Will be a fascinating series. The Boks have had bogey teams before, I think Wales was on a 4 game winning sequence against The Boks. Not sure how much the Home Advantage will count, Wales almost won at Loftus in 2022.
England and The All Blacks, think that will be a good series too.
Actually this isn’t a war, it isn’t a world cup, it probably isn’t even the most exciting test series this summer. If SA win 2-0 they’ll never shut up about it, but regardless of the result no one else will remember this series in 2 or 3 years time.
Should be a good series…waits w popcorn
He says the media disrespected us 38-3 back in 2017?
Is he saying the Irish media disrespected them?
Rassie is trying to create a unifying sense of injustice by Ireland against SA so that there is a common grievance to be righted in Loftus. Fair enough and maybe explains Etzebeths weird accusations.
No-one remembers what Irish media said in 2017, was probably a euphoric sense of new ground broken for a rising Irish team against a Major World force.
Whatever they said in Ireland it the reciminations in SA media would have been 1000000% worse. I think a sense of wanting to win in front of home supporters is better. The players wont buy the other nonsense.