Preview: Ireland ready to rise to 'Boks challenge

It's not a Grand Slam decider, it's not a series-clincher on the road, it's not even do-or-die, but this one, which will be played out in front of 80,000 souls at the Stade de France, feels big.

"It's always nice to win," said Andy Farrell to reporters on Thursday when he named a side with just one change, scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park in for Conor Murray, to face the world champions.

Be sure he'll be singing a different song when the door closes on the Stade de France dressing room this evening ahead of the meeting between the world's two highest ranking sides.

Ireland, on a run of 27 wins in 29 games, are the top dogs.

The tangibles of winning: four (maybe five) points and distinct advantage in the race for top spot in Pool B: a record-extending victory, 16 it would be. Ireland could, in fact, qualify for the knock-outs with a bonus-point win, while denying the Springboks one.

The intangible of losing: the bubble burst, the climb back up the mountain steeper for Ireland than for the reigning world champions.

A loss would, Scotland in two weeks' time notwithstanding, put Ireland on a quarter-final collision course with hosts France in Paris, with or without Antoine Dupont, a frightening prospect.

South Africa are one of those teams that are more than the sum of their parts once they pull the famous green shirt, white tonight, on.

That said, six of their starting XV ply their trade in Japan. Super Rugby, Champions Cup, URC, it is not. Indeed, another five of the 23 started in the Stormers side beaten by Munster in that final.

It's less than a year ago that Ireland beat South Africa, 19-16, in the Aviva Stadium. Tries from Josh van der Flier and Mack Hansen did the trick in what was the 27th meeting of the teams, who have never