'Heart of the pack' Eben Etzebeth can swing it for South Africa against Ireland - Victor Matfield

No Handre Pollard, no Malcolm Marx, no Lukhanyo Am, no problem, says Victor Matfield.

It's a medical update that, a couple of months ago, would have given the Springboks legend some cause for concern.

But as the kick-off to what was always likely to be a World Cup Pool D decider creeps closer, Matfield is positive.

The confirmation that Eben Etzebeth has recovered from a shoulder injury will only add to his optimism.

"All of us, before the World Cup, if we said Malcolm Marx won't be playing, we’re not sure about Eben Etzebeth, Handre Pollard’s not playing, Lukhanyo Am is not there, everyone would have said, 'there’s no chance South Africa could win the game.'

"But we have shown the depth we have got in our squad and the guys that got their chances did really well," the 2007 World Cup winner tells RTÉ Sport.

"Manie Libbock brings something different to the team, and last week when everyone heard that Handre had come into the team they were saying, 'is that the right thing that Handre should go?’

"Yeah, it’s a difficult call but Handre is world-class, Manie has stepped up in the last year.

"The two guys at the heart of the physicality of the South African pack of forwards are Malcolm Marx and Eben Etzebeth.

"We’ve got Bongi [Mbonambi], who can replace Malcolm pretty much on the same level but you lose a little extra off the bench.

"Deon Fourie (above) will bring something totally different. There’s not a lot of guys better than him on the ground so when he comes on he can force some turnovers at breakdown time.

"Eben is the heart of the pack. When you think about the physicality he brings, in the mauls, in the middle of it, stopping mauls. When we maul, being the powerhouse. On attack and defence, he’s just immense.

"He’s got the