There is likely to be a bit of added spice to the rugby test series between South Africa and Ireland this summer.
Those two sides have widely been regarded as the two best in world rugby over the last 18 months or so, with their pool meeting at last year's World Cup a game of the highest quality. Of course, the Springboks would go on to win that tournament, while the Irish would crash out at the quarter-final stage yet again.
It's fair to say that South Africa have been a bit miffed with suggestions that Ireland are in the conversation with them to be the best team in the game, something that is understandable when you consider that they have won consecutive Webb Ellis Cups.
With all of that in mind, it should make for an intriguing series next month.
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Rugby: South Africa star wants revenge after Irish media 'disrespect'
South Africa and Ireland will face off in two games in July, the first time they have played in the southern hemisphere country since 2016. Since then, Ireland have won all three meetings between the sides: two in Dublin and one in France.
The 2017 loss at the Aviva Stadium was viewed as a watershed moment for the Springboks, with the 38-3 defeat seeing them implement changes that would ultimately lead to them winning the World Cup two years later.
Speaking to Rugby Pass, South Africa centre and former Munster star Damian de Allende admitted that his team would look to get their own back after the 'disrespect' from Irish media in the aftermath of that game almost seven years ago.
The Test match in Dublin in 2022 was a tough loss, so there have been a few tough games against them.
We lost to them in 2017 when they beat us 38-3. The way the media spoke, they completely disrespected us.
For us as a group and for us as Springboks, it is about getting respect back, not their respect, but our own respect. We don’t need to but we really want to beat Ireland. It is going to be an incredible Test match...
That first game against Ireland at Loftus, whether I play or not, it is just going to feel almost like a war.
A lot of people give them credit for being number one in the world because they play such good footy but that’s going to be a flippin’ incredible battle.
With Ireland, the biggest threat is the breakdown, they are so good at the breakdown. No matter if they are getting dominated in contact, they still manage to get the ball out quick enough.
Damian de Allende is very familiar with the Irish media, having spent two years with Munster from 2020-2022. In saying that, it is likely that South Africans would take more umbrage with the comparisons to Ireland over the last 12 months, as opposed to what was said after that game in 2017.
In any case, it should make for a brilliant rugby series this summer.
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