It's just another World Cup pool game, but not really. It’s not "must win," admits Andy Farrell and Johnny Sexton initially declines to admit this one feels different. But it does.
Win, lose or draw, both Ireland and South Africa will still be in the mix for Pool B qualification.
But it’s the top two teams in the world meeting for the first time ever in a World Cup, with the prize on offer the chance to avoid hosts France in the quarter-final.
"Ah, it doesn’t get any better, does it?" says Farrell. "They’ll be relishing this game as much as we will be.
"Two good teams going at it and in form, and it will all be about who handles the pressure on the day the best."
The Springboks, with master of mind games Rassie Erasmus at the helm, are at it again. But Farrell is not getting sucked in.
"That’s what top teams do, they’re able to compartmentalise what’s going on [in] reality and the big show etc," he says when asked about avoiding the noise.
"And it’s something that we’ve got better at over the last couple of years.
"It’s for occasions like this and I’m sure our emotions will be tested but how we measure the game that’s in our faces I pretty important."
How do you get mentally set?
"It’s like every week," explains the former dual code England international.
"You prepare nice and early, review and learn the lessons and prepare for the next opposition.
"But at the same time you get a sense of when the players own the plan and own the week, etc. It tends to be a little quicker than normal in weeks like this and that’s the case this week."
The World Cup pool draw was made back in December 2020 so this game has been circled on the diary for a pretty long time.
"You get a feeling [that the players are on it] the minute you step onto the pitch on Monday," says the skipper, playing in what will be his last World Cup.
"We were still in recovery mode on Monday after Tonga but you do get a feeling among the group and amongst the leadership and it’s very exciting.
"Yeah, where else would you rather be? That’s what we’ve been saying to ourselves all week. But you do get a sense of it in training certainly, I think."
Ireland have, of course, faced big pool games in the past. Australia in 2011 and France in 2015 are the stand-outs wins.
"It’s just different," says wing forward Josh van der Flier of the atmosphere surrounding the team at this tournament.
"You get a big buzz around the Six Nations and everything and in all the internationals we are lucky to have great support.
"It’s just been absolutely incredible. Even driving through the streets on the way to the [Tonga] game, the excitement, you can hear people singing, a kind of carnival atmosphere in the stadium.
"It will be massive [on Saturday]. That support means so much to us.
"It’s incredible to be a part of. You look at all the great Irish sporting events and the support that comes with them has been incredible and it's cool to be in the middle of it."
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