Irish captain O'Mahony ready for South African first

Ready to triumph his 107th Test headdress against nan Springboks connected Saturday, Ireland's Peter O'Mahony is preparing for a first successful his agelong career.

The 34-year-old made his world debut successful 2012 but has ne'er earlier played a Test lucifer connected South African soil.

The Munster back-rower missed Ireland's 2016 bid conclusion successful nan state done injury, while his sole headdress for nan British and Irish Lions came successful New Zealand successful 2017.

Indeed, among Andy Farrell's starting broadside for nan first Test successful Pretoria, only Tadhg Furlong and Robbie Henshaw person played an world successful nan state for Ireland, while Bundee Aki and Tadhg Beirne besides did truthful for nan Lions.

"I was speaking pinch a fewer lads past night, location haven't been galore of america who person played a Test successful South Africa," said O'Mahony.

"If you talk pinch immoderate of nan young fellas, sometimes you mightiness springiness them a spot of proposal connected what it's going to beryllium for illustration but location are very fewer of america who tin do that."

Ireland's players are overmuch much acquainted pinch playing successful nan state than would person antecedently been nan lawsuit acknowledgment to nan United Rugby Championship [URC].

Irish provinces make astatine slightest 1 travel nan confederate hemisphere each play acknowledgment to nan Sharks, Lions, Stormers and Bulls joining their home convention successful 2021.

O'Mahony, however, says that those fixtures cannot beryllium compared to nan Test arena.

"It helps you've been successful nan stadium earlier but world rugby is different to URC, there's nary constituent successful saying otherwise," he added.

"It's a different animal, a different intensity. You're going to person a different type crowd.

"It's a large juncture for South Africa, coming backmost present for nan first clip since winning nan World Cup, first Test backmost here. I deliberation it's going to beryllium an unthinkable ambiance for everyone."

Ireland person won nan past 3 meetings betwixt nan sides, doubly successful Dublin and, astir recently, successful Paris astatine past year's World Cup.

Despite their excavation shape nonaccomplishment astatine nan Stade de France, nan Springboks would spell connected to triumph that tournament, lifting nan Webb Ellis trophy for nan 2nd clip successful succession.

There has been immoderate alteration for South Africa successful nan ensuing 9 months, astir notably successful nan coaching box.

Former Japan adjunct Tony Brown and O'Mahony's aged Munster coach Jerry Flannery were victorious successful their first crippled connected Rassie Erasmus' summons against Wales past month.

But O'Mahony is still expecting a Springbok broadside that will play to their accepted strengths.

"We surely had a look astatine what they did against Wales," he said.

"They're only 1 Test successful truthful it's difficult to foretell what's coming but I don't deliberation they'll spell distant from what they're incredibly, incredibly bully at.

"They're world champions for a logic and that guidelines for their crippled isn't going to change.

"I'm judge there'll beryllium immoderate caller things and things they'll propulsion in, curveballs, but that's Test rugby and what you person to accommodate to."