After Ireland’s hard fought win with world champions South Africa, Sportspeak caught up with Ireland and Munster hooker Jerry Flannery where he spoke of a very bruising encounter.
 

After Ireland’s 15 points to 10 win over South Africa Sportspeak caught up with Leinster’s Jamie Heaslip and he spoke about how difficult the game really was.
 

After Ireland’s thrilling encounter with the Springboks, Sportspeak caught up with IRB head coach of the year for 2009 Declan Kidney and Ireland captain Brian O Driscoll on what was a memorable day for Irish rugby.
 

 
Tommy Bowe has had an eventful year, starting by scoring a try in Cardiff which contributed to Ireland’s Grand Slam win, Bowe was then selected to be in the Lions squad for their summer tour to South Africa, on the tour Bowe emerged as one of the stronger and better players in the squad. For Tommy and the rest of the squad, the result did not go as planned. Tommy has another opportunity before the end of the year to put one over on the Springboks and to help give Ireland a famous win over the World Champions. Bowe spoke about how excited he was to play.

Sean O’Brien has been called into the Ireland squad for this Saturday’s test match against South Africa in Croke Park. O”Brien takes Denis Leamy’s place on the bench after the Munster back-rower failed to recover from the ankle injury he picked up in the game against Fiji. O’Brien, who was also among the replacements for that game, came on for Leamy in the 44th minute to win his first cap. Leamy was undergoing rehabilitation throughout the week but has failed to improve enough for Saturday’s match.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers have made six changes – two of them positional – to the starting line-up from last week’s win over Italy for Saturday’s GUINNESS Series Test against Ireland at Croke Park (kick-off 2.30pm).

In the front row, Tendai Mtawarira returns to the South African team in place of Wian du Preez and Ulster’s BJ Botha starts at tighthead with captain John Smit moving to hooker in the place of Adriaan Strauss.

As well as Botha, there are two other Irish-based players in the Springboks’ 22, with Leinster prop CJ van der Linde and Munster centre Jean de Villiers selected on the replacements bench.

Meanwhile, Victor Matfield returns in the second row, replacing Andries Bekker and linking up once again with Bakkies Botha.

Schalk Burger is back at openside flanker with Danie Rossouw moving to number 8. There is one change to the back-line with Wynand Olivier starting at inside centre in place of the injured Adi Jacobs.

There are four more changes on the bench – front rowers Bismarck du Plessis and van der Linde return from injury, while Jean de Villiers is recalled and uncapped flanker Dewald Potgieter is included in a ‘Boks matchday squad for the first time.

South African skipper Smit will equal Percy Montgomery’s record as the most-capped Springbok against Ireland (six caps), while Jaque Fourie will equal Jean de Villiers’ record as the most-capped Springbok centre.

SOUTH AFRICA TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Ireland, GUINNESS Series 2009, Croke Park, Saturday, November 28, kick-off 2.30pm):

15 – Zane Kirchner (Blue Bulls)
14 – JP Pietersen (Sharks)
13 – Jaque Fourie (Lions)
12 – Wynand Olivier (Blue Bulls)
11 – Bryan Habana (Blue Bulls)
10 – Morne Steyn (Blue Bulls)
9 – Fourie du Preez (Blue Bulls)
1 – Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks)
2 – John Smit (Sharks) (capt)
3 – BJ Botha (Ulster)
4 – Bakkies Botha (Blue Bulls)
5 – Victor Matfield (Blue Bulls)
6 – Heinrich Brussow (Cheetahs)
7 – Schalk Burger (Western Province)
8 – Danie Rossouw (Blue Bulls)

Replacements:

16 – Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)
17 – CJ van der Linde (Leinster)
18 – Andries Bekker (Western Province)
19 – Jean Deysel (Sharks)
20 – Dewald Potgieter (Blue Bulls)
21 – Ruan Pienaar (Sharks)
22 – Jean de Villiers (Munster)

 
Ireland rugby press conference with team manager Paul McNaughton and coaches Gert Smal and Les Kiss at the Shelbourne Hotel this afternoon ahead of their Autumn International Guinness Series 2009 match against Australia on Sunday.