South Africa v Ireland - all you need to know

Ireland captain Peter O'Mahony and totemic South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth are expected to play key roles in the series

Sport. It's everywhere at the moment. Euro 2024 and Wimbledon are in full swing while the Paris Olympics are just a few weeks away.

But rugby is not about to be left out of the summer sporting bonanza, with the home nations gearing up for mouthwatering inter-hemisphere series.

England are in New Zealand to face the All Blacks, Wales are playing Australia while Scotland visit Chile and Uruguay after their North American trip.

But perhaps the most eagerly anticipated matches are taking place in the home of the back-to-back world champions, as South Africa host Ireland.

As the top two teams in the world who share a pretty intense rivalry, any match between the Springboks and Ireland is box office - and this summer we have two.

Here is all you need to know about South Africa v Ireland.

When is South Africa v Ireland? Venues & kick-off times

It is a two-Test series. Following a gruelling season that included a World Cup, a two-Test tour was organised.

The opening Test takes place in Pretoria with the second Test in Durban:

• South Africa v Ireland, Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, Saturday, July 6 - 16:00 BST

• South Africa v Ireland, Kings Park, Durban, Saturday, July 13 - 16:00 BST

How to watch South Africa v Ireland

Sky Sports will broadcast both games.

BBC Sport will have live text commentaries, reports and reaction from both matches.

Squads - big names missing

Both teams are missing key players for this battle of the hemispheres.

Ireland will be without a number of crucial players, with the backline taking a big hit. Full-back Hugo Keenan is preparing for the Olympics with the Ireland sevens team while Jamison Gibson-Park and Mack Hansen - who scored a try against South Africa in last year's World Cup - are injured.

The pack will also be missing some seasoned campaigners. British and Irish Lions number eight Jack Conan is unavailable because of personal reasons, while Ulster captain Iain Henderson is injured.

Sam Prendergast, Jamie Osborne and Cormac Izuchukwu are the uncapped players in Andy Farrell's travelling party.

South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus is not without his injury issues too. Wings Edwill van der Merwe and Makazole Mapimpi and utility back Canan Moodie will miss the first Test.

Prop Steven Kitshoff - who recently ended a short stint at Ulster - locks Jean Kleyn and Lood de Jager, and Damian Willemse are also missing.

South Africa squad:

Forwards: Phepsi Buthelezi, Ben-Jason Dixon, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Grobbelaar, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (capt), Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Salmaan Moerat, Franco Mostert, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Evan Roos, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Jasper Wiese.

Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Faf de Klerk, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Wilie le Roux, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Grant Williams.

Ireland squad:

Forwards: Ryan Baird, Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Beirne, Caelan Doris, Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy, Rob Herring, Cormac Izuchukwu, Oli Jager, Ronan Kelleher, Joe McCarthy, Peter O'Mahony (capt), Tom O'Toole, Andrew Porter, Cian Prendergast, James Ryan, Dan Sheehan, Nick Timoney, Josh van der Flier.

Backs: Bundee Aki, Caolin Blade, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Ciaran Frawley, Robbie Henshaw, Jordan Larmour, James Lowe, Stuart McCloskey, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash, Jimmy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Sam Prendergast, Garry Ringrose, Jacob Stockdale (Ulster).

Line-ups

South Africa: W le Roux; C Kolbe; J Kriel, D de Allende; KL Arendse; H Pollard; F de Klerk; O Nche, B Mbonambi, F Malherbe; E Etzebeth, F Mostert; S Kolisi (capt), PS du Toit, K Smith.

Replacements: M Marx, G Steenekamp, V Koch, S Moerat, RG Snyman, M van Staden, G Williams, S Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Ireland: J Osborne; C Nash, R Henshaw, B Aki, J Lowe; J Crowley, C Casey; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong; T Beirne, J McCarthy; P O’Mahony (capt), J van der Flier, C Doris.

Replacements: R Kelleher, C Healy, F Bealham, J Ryan, R Baird, C Murray, C Frawley, G Ringrose.

A bit of history

Ireland won 13-8 when the sides met in a titanic Pool B match at last year's World Cup

Ireland have had the edge recently. Last year, the Irish produced a battling display to beat South Africa 13-8 in their World Cup Pool B encounter at Stade de France in Paris.

South Africa, of course, went on to win the tournament while Ireland were knocked out in the quarter-finals by New Zealand.

That was Ireland's third successive win over the Boks, having also won 38-3 and 19-16 in Dublin in 2017 and 2022.

Significantly, though, Ireland have never claimed a series win in South Africa. Two years ago, they claimed their first series win in New Zealand in memorable fashion, beating the All Blacks 2-1.

In fact, Ireland have just one win from 10 matches against the Boks in South Africa. That came in 2016 when Joe Schmidt's side triumphed 26-20 in Cape Town. South Africa, however, regrouped to win in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth and take the series.

What's been said?

Quite a lot, actually.

South Africa's Eben Etzebeth and Damian de Allende were among those to stoke the flames before the series.

De Allende spoke of how the Springboks felt "disrespected" by heavy media criticism after a crushing defeat by Ireland in Dublin in 2017, while Etzebeth said the Irish had been "arrogant" by telling South Africa's players "see you guys in the final" at last year's World Cup after Farrell's side won their Pool B encounter.

Ireland's South Africa-born attack coach Mike Catt side-stepped a war of words last week, saying: "People can say what they want. It means nothing to us. It's something we don't particularly worry about.

"Let them keep talking. It's not a problem. It doesn't fuel anything. It doesn't make it any or worse. We know exactly what we need to do to go down there and be successful."

Erasmus - who has never beaten Ireland - has also been diplomatic in the build-up, saying Farrell's side represent a "big step-up" from Wales, who the Boks beat comfortably at Twickenham on 22 June.

“There is a huge excitement in the group for the challenge ahead and that was evident on and off the field this week," said Erasmus.

“Everyone knows that a big step-up is required next week, but we are pleased with the momentum we built up by defeating Wales and getting international game time under the belt."