South Africa v Ireland 'will be almost like a war' - De Allende

South Africa's erstwhile Munster centre Damian de Allende says nan first Test successful nan two-match bid betwixt nan Springboks and Ireland successful Pretoria connected 6 July will beryllium "almost for illustration a war".

Ireland went into past year's World Cup classed arsenic nan globe's apical world squad but while they hit nan Springboks successful nan group stage, South Africa regrouped to clasp nan title and nan number 1 spot.

The Irish person won nan past 3 meetings betwixt nan sides and De Allende insists, astir 7 years on, he is still smarting from nan 38-3 Dublin hammering dished retired to nan Springboks successful November 2017.

South Africa will beryllium backmost successful action for nan first clip since winning nan World Cup erstwhile they look Ireland astatine Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld and 78-cap De Allende says he can't hold for nan game.

"It is nan first Test lucifer for america together arsenic a group aft we person won nan World Cup successful beforehand of our ain crowd," nan 32-year-old told RugbyPass TV.

“We ne'er sewage that luxury aft winning nan 2019 World Cup because of Covid and everything for illustration that.

"That first crippled against Ireland astatine Loftus, whether I play aliases not, it is conscionable going to consciousness almost for illustration a war."

De Allende still recalls really nan Springboks felt "disrespected" by dense media disapproval aft nan crushing 2017 conclusion successful Dublin which led to coach Allister Coetzee losing his occupation and nan opening of Rassie Erasmus' hugely successful era successful charge.

“For america arsenic a group, and for america arsenic Springboks, it is astir getting respect back, not their respect, but our ain respect.

"We don't request to but we really want to hit Ireland. It is going to beryllium an unthinkable Test match."

Ireland's emergence to nan apical of nan world rankings nether coach Andy Farrell came during a 17-game winning tally which ended successful heartbreak arsenic their World Cup quarter-final hoodoo continued successful nan conclusion by New Zealand successful Paris past October.

And while nan tourney was a monolithic disappointment for nan Irish nation, Farrell has continued to person immense plaudits for his stewardship of nan broadside pinch different Six Nations title banked successful March.

However, De Allende doubts Farrell, arsenic an Englishman, tin lucifer nan affectional thrust that Erasmus gives nan Springboks.

"We get nan affectional driver," he added. "It's difficult to say. Andy Farrell is English truthful I don't cognize if he knows overmuch astir Ireland, their history and what has happened successful nan past.

"Because Rassie is South African and he loves South Africa truthful overmuch – he’s played for nan Springboks – he knows really to make america tick arsenic South Africans and he knows really to make South Africa tick."

Following nan first Test successful Pretoria, nan sides will meet again connected 13 July successful Durban.