Dan Sheehan believes Ireland will face a South Africa side with no significant weaknesses and has urged his team to match up when the sides clash in tomorrow's Test at Aviva Stadium (5.40pm).
The Springboks arrive in Dublin as double World Cup winners and claimed the last two Rugby Championships.
Their southhern hemisphere dominance was underlined when they handed New Zealand a record 43-10 beating last September in Wellington.
Rassie Erasmus’s side, ranked number one in the world, beat France 32-17 two weeks ago and Italy 32-14 last weekend, on both occasions playing with 14 players for most of the ties after red cards for Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert, respectively.
"No," replied Ireland hooker Sheehan (above) when asked if they had any weakness.
"That's why they're two-time world champions I suppose.
"So we need to make sure we don't have a weakness at the weekend as well and cover all bases with set-piece and obviously our attacking game and defensive side of things."
Much had been made of Ireland’s misfiring lineout in the defeat to the All Blacks at the start of the month and the win over Japan in their second November Test.
However, last weekend’s impressive victory over Australia saw a return to form and a 100% success rate out of touch.
"I find it easy to ignore," said the 27-year-old Leinster front row about the 'outside noise’ surrounding that set-piece.
"It's just because I just know what it feels like in here and it was literally the people that didn't hear the call so it's no big deal.
"I know it looks awful probably from watching the games when the ball's been thrown in and no one's even going up but it's as simple a fix as someone just saying it louder or being able to hear so, yeah, I just sort of bring it back to what it really is.
"I thought the media around the last couple of weeks has been out of proportion and a lot of panic stations, it seems, is going on outside the camp but it hasn't been like that inside the camp.
"We all knew it was minor fixes and just basic human error stuff, that's just life and you just got on with it.
"So I don't think anyone panicked, which is great and we have the right people in the room that can sort it out and it sort of all came together then at the weekend."
Ireland and South Africa have in recent years built up a fascinating rivalry with tomorrow’s hosts edging four of the last five clashes, the only loss coming in the first Test of the summer tour in 2024.
Sheehan suffered an ACL injury in that 27-20 defeat but has largely positive memories of his previous battles with the world champions, including the 13-8 victory over the Springboks at the World Cup in Paris in 2023.
"I've had loads of good memories against South Africa," said Sheehan, who will win his 35th Ireland cap on Saturday.
"I remember the game, 2022, that was a super win in the Aviva and then obviously the World Cup, another super win that will be etched in my memory forever, and we've had some proper battles with them over the last couple of years.
"It's always an exciting game to be a part of and I think everyone's really looking forward to getting up for the World Champions coming to town and see where we are.
"I think it's a great marker to show where we are at because I think we've been building nicely every week so far. It's been a bit of a slow start maybe, but hopefully we can add to the performance again."
The visitors have made 11 changes to the side that beat Italy last weekend, with Erasmus picking all but two players who lined up against Les Bleues.
The force may be with the visiting pack tomorrow with their average weight at 118.5kgs per man versus Ireland's 111.1kg.
The British and Irish Lions hooker added: "They have a lot more than just brutes running at you.
"It's kicking game, it's passing, it's quick backs in the wider channels, it's a bit of everything.
"We've talked about being mentally and physically drained at the end of the 80 minutes and mentally is probably the main one.
"You need to be switched on for the full 80 minutes and how we go about that during the week, how we put that into practice in our training."
Sheehan and the rest of the Ireland team are hoping to add to the country's sporting merriment as the nation basks in the soccer team's World Cup qualifying win over Hungary last Sunday.
"We were all back with the family but there was a good buzz when we got back in and people were chatting about it, where you were and stuff, so it was absolutely brilliant," said the Dubliner.
"What a week for Irish sport, especially the football.
"It was brilliant to watch and to see how you can overturn some bigger teams and when the odds are stacked against you, just to believe in yourself.
"I thought it was brilliant."
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Watch Ireland v South Africa in the Quilter Nations Series on Saturday from 4.30pm on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
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