Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI at Stade de France

Image source, Inpho

BBC Radio Ulster commentator Jim Neilly is commentating at his 10th Rugby World Cup.

Tonight, he will call a Test rugby match for the 342nd time in a career spanning nearly a half-century.

In other words, he's seen it all.

To illustrate the magnitude of this one, he brings in his other great sporting love: boxing. He reckons "this could be like Ali v Frazer".

Are we in for the Match of the Century? There probably isn't enough at stake, but it feels like we're about witness something truly spectacular.

Tommy Bowe
Former Ireland winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

The atmosphere everywhere, around the streets, there's so much excitement, it just seems Irish rugby is in such a good place at the moment and this game is the one that Andy Farrell has been eyeing up for the last few years.

Some people say that there's not much riding on it and if either team lose they can still make it to the quarter-finals but I think that both teams are here to make a statement tonight.

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Getty Images

Given the World Cup pools are drawn so far in advance, South Africa will likely have known they will be wearing their alternate kit against Ireland for some time.

It makes perfect sense (presumably, somewhere, to someone) to make your alternate kit white with splashes of jade green all over it.

It looks pretty cool, don’t get me wrong, but when one of the few kit clashes possible in the World Cup is with Ireland then having your change strip with so much green it causes another clash- well, it doesn’t seem very well thought out.

Anyway, all this means the Springboks will be lining out in their third kit in as many games – an all-white number with flashes of teal.

Just to balance things out, kit clashes have also been a problem on Ireland’s side in the past. Thankfully the new white strip should help us out.

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI at Stade de France

This great stadium has been utterly consumed by excited swathes of green jerseys.

So many Ireland fans. So much hope. It's crackling in here now.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell speaking to ITV:

"The build up to the game has been great, it's been as it should be. There's a nice nervous tension within the group and that normally transfers into a nice performance as well.

"We're playing against a world-class side, the reigning champions, so we know all about them but at the same time it's about respecting ourselves and trying to impose our game on the opposition and we'll be trying hard to do that, that's for sure."

Chris Henry
Former Ireland flanker on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and Radio Ulster

We're sitting up here nervous. The Irish boys warming up, it's unbelievable, they don't look nervous. It just seems like they're enjoying the warmup and the atmosphere.

Jonny Sexton was the first Irish player to run out and the crowd started cheering, they've come here to enjoy the game.

I think this Irish team is ready, the confidence they have shown leading up to this and they've been consistent and that's why they should be confident.

For rugby fans, it really doesn't get any better than this.

This is where the fun really starts. Ireland have known they would be facing South Africa in the third game of this World Cup for two and a half years and now that it's finally upon us, the excitement is really kicking in.

Ireland's start to the World Cup has been smooth and satisfying. They've secured two resounding wins and have looked pretty ruthless in the process.

But Saturday night in Paris is where this side's World Cup journey really kicks into high gear.

Read Tommy Bowe's BBC Sport column here

Image source, BBC Sport

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry have swapped the fairways for the Stade de France this evening.

Ireland would be happy with 'fore' points this evening.

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South African 2007 World Cup winner Johann Muller says the victor in Saturday's much-anticipated Pool B game between Ireland and the Springboks will not necessarily be better placed to go and win the World Cup.

The former Ulster second row is expecting "a really special game" between the top two ranked sides in the world in Paris but cautions that is "just a step in the direction, it's not lifting the cup".

Both sides have won their opening two matches of the tournament and the winner of the Stade de France encounter will be well placed to top the pool and book a likely quarter-final against New Zealand.

"In one sense it's a bit sad, that you get number one and two in the world playing each other in the pool stages. But if you want to be world champions, the best in the world, you've got to beat the best, it's as simple as that," Muller told BBC Sport NI.

"The World Cup isn't won this weekend, it's also not lost this weekend. For me this is just a step.

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South Africa’s decision to do a seven-one split on the bench has caused a bit of a stir around the rugby world.

Andy Farrell is a big fan, however.

"I think it's great," Farrell said of South Africa's forward-heavy approach to the replacements.

"It suits them and they know their squad. I think it shows exactly where they want to go with their game plan, and we do the same with the subs we pick as well."

Farrell joked: "I did pose the question to our forwards coaches to see if we could go with a seven-one split, with seven backs and one forward, but they weren't up for that.

"It's the same with a five/three split, you can't cover everything, but you need to be adaptable and that is something we have worked hard on in our planning over the past few years to be able to do that.

"They've done exactly the same with a seven-one split in mind. I love it and I respect it.

"I like the fact they know the squad, bringing four scrum-halves over and a hooker that has not really played in the specialist position before.

"It shows that they know their players, know their team and know which direction they want to go.

"Hopefully they think the same about us as well."

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell says his side are ready to be tested emotionally in Saturday's crunch World Cup Pool B encounter against holders South Africa in Stade de France, Paris.

The contest between the top two sides in the world rankings is the headline fixture in Pool B.

Read more here

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Ronan Kelleher will start at hooker for Ireland's crucial Pool B match against holders South Africa at the Rugby World Cup on Saturday.

Kelleher gets the nod from Andy Farrell to start ahead of Dan Sheehan, who returns from injury to make the bench.

Leinster's Sheehan missed Ireland's opening bonus-point wins over Romania and Tonga with a foot injury.

Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park returns in place of Conor Murray in the only change from the team that beat Tonga.

In the replacements, Sheehan replaces Rob Herring while fly-half Jack Crowley comes in for Ross Byrne.

Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Sexton (capt), Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Furlong, Ryan, Beirne, O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Sheehan, Bealham, Kilcoyne, Henderson, Baird, Murray, Crowley, Henshaw.

Image source, Inpho

For anyone reading the South African replacements, don’t rub your eyes – it is true!

Munster lock Jean Kleyn, who played for Ireland at the 2019 World Cup and infamously travelled to Japan in place of Devin Toner, is on the bench for South Africa.

It didn’t really work out in Irish green for Kleyn, but the sport’s eligibility rules meant he was able to swap back to his place of birth and he’s set to run out for the Boks in Paris.

Ireland's James Ryan is determined to impose himself against a South Africa pack that he believes contains "the complete second row" in Eben Etzebeth.

Ryan spoke of the huge respect he has for his fellow lock ahead of the sides' World Cup Pool B meeting in Paris on Saturday evening.

Read more here

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Eben Etzebeth has been passed fit for South Africa's World Cup Pool B game with top-ranked Ireland on Saturday as they include 14 starters from the opening win over Scotland.

Etzebeth has recovered from the shoulder injury he sustained in the 18-3 victory over the Scots.

The defending champions then made 14 changes for the 76-0 win over Romania.

However, they have reverted to the side that started against Scotland, bar injured hooker Malcolm Marx.

Marx has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament so Bongi Mbonambi will start in the number two jersey against the Irish.

Mbonambi and Damian Willemse are the only starters retained from the Romania win, with the latter moving from fly-half to full-back.

As expected, the Springboks have opted for seven forwards on the bench, with scrum-half Cobus Reinach the sole back in the replacements.

Reinach will also provide cover at wing, while forward replacements Kwagga Smith has extensive Sevens experience and could also provide a backs option.

South Africa: Willemse; Arendse, Kriel, De Allende, Kolbe; Libbok, De Klerk; Kitshoff, Mbonambi, Malherbe, Etzebeth, Mostert, Kolisi (capt), Du Toit, Wiese.

Replacements: Fourie, Nche, Nyakane, Kleyn, Snyman, Van Staden, Smith, Reinach.

Is this game in Paris? We're not quite sure...

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BBC Sounds

You can listen to tonight's game live on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds from 19:30 BST.

Orla Bannon is joined by Jonny Bell in studio in Belfast, while former Ulster and Ireland back row Chris Henry is on commentary alongside Jim Neilly in Paris.

You can also listen to the game on 5Live, where former Ireland wing Tommy Bowe and Springbok World Cup winner Bobby Skinstad is on radio duty.

Image source, Getty Images

Wing Henry Arundell scored five tries as England sliced apart Pool D's weakest opposition to all but qualify for the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.

The 20-year-old's clutch of scores matches the most scored by an England men's player in a Test and moves him to the top of the tournament try-scoring standings in his first appearance of the campaign.

England, as expected, were far too strong for the spirited, but limited Chile, as their forward power and backline edge had the Rugby World Cup debutants in near-constant retreat.

Earlier, Portugal missed a last-minute penalty as they were denied a first World Cup win after staging a stirring comeback against Georgia in Toulouse.

After being 13-0 down, Portugal wing Raffaele Storti looked set to be the hero with two superb solo tries as his side led in the dying stages.

But a 79th-minute try awarded by the TV match official drew Georgia level.

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI at Stade de France

Ireland's official warm-up song, apparently chosen by the team, is Enter Sandman.

That's got to be an Andrew Porter choice. Always sounds great in a stadium.

We all know the term, so Conor and Fintan Larkin made it a reality and brought Johnny Sexton's history-making moment to the famous Paris landmark.

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