Springboks seek consistency as Ireland shuffle pack

An unchanged South Africa will seek a series win against an Ireland side missing several players through injury when the top two teams in the world rankings collide in the second and final test in Durban on Saturday.

The world champion Springboks were below their best in a 27-20 victory over the Irish in the first test in Pretoria and hope to close out a series victory against a team who have had the better of them in recent years.

The Springboks have named their most experienced starting XV in the 133-year history of the team, with 990 caps between them, three more than the side who beat New Zealand 12-11 in last year's World Cup final.

Coach Rassie Erasmus has not made any changes to his match-day 23, keeping faith with the players who withstood a spirited Irish display at the altitude of the Highveld.

"Last week’s game was a proper test match," South Africa centre Damian de Allende told reporters. "It was good to be part of the match, and we know how tough they are. We have no doubt they’ll come at us even harder this week.

"They’ll definitely come out firing, and I think they may try a few new things and possibly play a more expansive game. But we really want to win this one and build good momentum."

Ireland came out of the bruising encounter in Pretoria with several injury concerns as concussed scrumhalf Craig Casey and hooker Dan Sheehan headed home, the latter with a serious knee injury.

Centre Bundee Aki has a shoulder problem and is missing, while coach Andy Farrell has dropped captain Peter O’Mahony to the bench and given the armband to number eight Caelan Doris.

"I'm more than fully confident (in Doris), I thought he was excellent at the weekend," Farrell said. "The questions he's going to the referees with are the right ones, his manner is good."

Farrell wanted to find a way to bring lock James Ryan into the side for his physicality and his entry into the second row alongside Joe McCarthy means Tadhg Beirne moves to flanker with Josh van der Flier and O’Mahony on the bench.

Ireland, touring South Africa for only the second time since 2004, have a single victory in 11 away tests against the Springboks. REUTERS