Springboks clash against Ireland 'as big as it gets' – Kolisi

South Africa’s Pool B clash with world number one side Ireland is as big as it gets according to captain Siya Kolisi, while coach Jacques Nienaber knew their 7-1 bench "innovation" would get a negative response.

Ireland are on a run of 15 straight victories and beat the Springboks 19-16 when they met in Dublin in November, with this battle likely to decide the top team in the group.

"We took a lot from the last match we played against them," Kolisi told reporters on Thursday ahead of Saturday's match in Paris. "And both teams are playing well, so this is a good time to face them.

"We want to play nice, competitive rugby and I believe the match will be tough and played in a good spirit. This is as big as it gets."

The breakdown battle and discipline are two areas Kolisi and Nienaber believe will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the contest.

"The breakdowns are going to be big. They have a lot of players who are effective in that department and I think that will have a big influence on the game," the Springbok's skipper said.

Nienaber added: "If you concede penalties against a team like Ireland they’ll either get territory or points, so they’ll put us under pressure. We must be disciplined to get the right result."

The @Springboks lineup to take on Ireland has landed