James Ryan is expecting a tough weekend. He’ll likely face Eben Etzebeth in some hand-to-hand when Ireland play South Africa at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. Although, given the way the Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has rung in the changes from match to match, it may be a combination of RG Snyman, Ruan Nortje or John Kleyn.
Either way Ryan knows what’s ahead, as South Africa’s reputation is powered by physicality, perhaps more so than any other team.
Etzebeth is the poster boy for Springbok aggression and rugby carnage. His size, ability and experience is something Ryan is all too familiar with having crossed paths before.
But respect, not fear, is the tone. Why not, as Ireland have a good recent record and won their pool meeting during the last Rugby World Cup in 2023.
RM Block
“Yeah, he’s tough to play against,” Ryan says of the Sharks lock. “I think he’s sort of the complete player. As I said, he’s very good in the air in terms of his line of defence. But around the park as well, he’s very effective on both sides of the ball.
“He’s a good carrier, very fit. And then defensively, he’s brilliant, obviously. He likes a charge down. So, he can sort of do it all, really. He’s been one of the best in the world for a long time, so it’s very exciting to come up against him.”
Ireland’s record win over Australian sets up Springboks clash perfectly
It has been an important summer for Ryan, who was selected for the Lions tour, ticking off a box that was sorely missing from his CV.
However, his tour came to an end 42 minutes into the third Test against Australia after he took a knock to the head which briefly knocked him unconscious.
It was part of a weird sequence of events. After a prolonged treatment, Ryan was taken from the pitch on a stretcher and replaced by Welshman Jac Morgan. However, the game did not restart as play was suspended for 30 minutes due to a storm, forcing the players to leave the pitch.
But it’s not the frightening end Ryan chooses to remember, instead focusing on the achievement of being selected for the squad having missed out four years prior.
“I was proud. It felt very rewarding and hugely satisfying,” he says. “I had my family over there, a bunch of my mates, so to be involved with the Lions for the last couple of games, it was a dream come true, really. I loved it, I loved every second of it.
“It was such a unique tour. Very different to any tour I’ve been on, but it was an amazing experience.”
He adds that he came around “pretty quick” after being stretchered off the pitch at the Accor Stadium so was able to join in the celebrations.
“It was a bit of a weird one, obviously, because we lost ... It was frustrating at the time, but when I look at the whole couple of months, there’s not much I would have changed.”
The Springboks will represent a much greater challenge than Australia were for both the Lions during the summer and Ireland last weekend.
Victorious at the last two Rugby World Cups, South Africa have a winning aura and boast three of the four Men’s 15s Player of the Year nominees in Pieter-Steph du Toit, Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche.
“I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me I get hugely excited about the opportunity to go up against them,” says Ryan.
“These are the games you want to be involved in, against the best teams in the world. You want an opportunity. We’re just very excited to be honest. That’s where our mindset is.”
