Ireland gear up for 'angry' Boks
Without star playmaker Johnny Sexton – having also lost Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell to retirement – the loss of Luke Fitzgerald, as well as the Kearney brothers Robert and David could not have come at a worse time.
As it is, Ireland have never won a Test in South Africa.
Not surprising then Ireland coach Joe Schmidt last week said he need some "alpha males" to stand up to the Springboks in their three-Test series against South Africa.
Keith Earls, who has encountered the Boks as a member of Ireland, as well as the British and Irish Lions, said teammate Christiaan Stander is the epitome of what awaits them from when they arrive in the Republic on Monday.
"You can see it in CJ [Stander], they're angry men, physical men," Earls told the Sunday Independent Sport.
"They don't care how they're going to win and they'll do whatever it takes to win.
"And their supporters seem to be like that as well.
"It's a challenge, if you can get a win down there in that environment you've achieved something big."
Despite the challenge Earls are optimistic Ireland can cause an upset.
"It's been a hell of a long year, but hopefully we can go down and not only win a game but win a series," Earls said.
"They're crazy people [South Africans], passionate people. They love their rugby.
"It's a beautiful country and a really exciting place to go.
"I was only a child going down there in 2009 [with the B&I Lions], so hopefully I can learn from all my experiences in the last few years and be a better player going down this time.
"It's going to be physical and it's going to be hostile and the thing is not to go into our shell a bit.
"They came third in the World Cup and they're one of the best teams in the world.
"I suppose we can't let that get to us. We have to back ourselves as well – [look at] what Ireland has achieved in the last couple of years. We've beaten them once or twice and (we need to) bring that same mentality heading down there."
Source: Sunday Independent Sport
