World-ranked number one Ireland have won the last two, and four of the last six games against South Africa, but that record doesn't stop the Springboks being made slight favourites for Saturday night’s Paris blockbuster.
Well, they are the world champions.
Andy Farrell’s side lead Pool B on 10 points after wins over Romania and Tonga, while South Africa sit in second having taken nine points from victories over Scotland and the Oaks.
The winner of the Stade de France clash will be frontrunners to top the group and likely avoid a quarter-final match-up with Les Bleus.
In World Cup terms the teams are poles apart. South Africa have won the competition three times in seven attempts, while Ireland have infamously never been beyond the quarter-finals after nine goes.
The sides have never met in the tournament.
Asked if Ireland’s poor record had been brought up as part of the preparation, Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus (above) broke into a smile.
"I was thinking about that when I read a few things on social media," the 50-year-old told RTÉ Sport.
"A few of my friends said that Ireland is our bogey team, but the World Cup is Ireland’s bogey competition.
"But then if you think about history, when we lost our pool match against New Zealand (in 2019), then we won the World Cup. It had never been done before.
"The New Zealanders lost their first pool game ever this year and I think they're strong contenders this year.
"A team with other coaches, other captains, other game plans, other supporters, the transformation of the team in terms of how they play, how they want to attack.
"I really think history, it might be nice to make it a sensational thing, but the belief from within the Irish team and from the South African team - at the end of the day, it's what those 33 players and management believe
"I guess it spices it up but it doesn’t make a difference, the history, for the teams."
The former Munster boss, who left his post, early, in 2017 to take over the reins at the then down-at-heels 'Boks, was in fine form as he addressed a mixture of South African and Irish media via a Zoom call yesterday afternoon.
No grenades, we think, were lobbed, while he said that 29-year-old out-half Handre Pollard, who joined the squad yesterday, will not be involved.
Lock Eben Etzebeth, a prototype of the South African pack, is on course to shake off a shoulder issue and take part, as confirmed by forwards coach Deon Davids on the same call.
A commentator on social media half-joked that this may mean that Pollard will start and that Etzebeth is out.
There’s less uncertainty about a rumoured return to Ireland as performance director with the IRFU. "No, no, no," he insisted.
He and head coach Jacques Nienaber had seven forwards on the bench for the win over New Zealand last month and another 7:1 split was described as "definitely an option".
Johnny Sexton (above) was withdrawn at half-time in Ireland’s 59-16 win over Tonga, with one eye on this weekend’s battle.
Erasmus was asked his view on the importance of the captain, who at the weekend broke the Irish scoring record, to Ireland’s game plan.
"He's a hell of a vital person, in my opinion," said the former centre.
"When I was at Munster, I only beat him once, I think it was the December game at Thomond.
"Whenever Johnny's in the team, a lot of things happen and not just as a player.
"It's his aura and his presence. For a man at 38 to still score tries like he scored this weekend and the previous time we played them, he grubbered through and out-sprinted one of our guys, so as long as he's physically out there, which he is, there's no doubt about him.
"And then it's just the aura about him, it's exceptional not just for his own team but very intimidating for the opposition."
Watch live coverage of Ireland v South Africa (Saturday, 8pm) on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1, and follow live updates on RTÉ Sport Online and the RTÉ News app.
