GORDON D’ARCY IS ready to get down and dirty against the Springboks on Saturday afternoon saying that if there’s any bullying to be done, then he’s your man.

South Africa are famed for their muscular approach and as Declan Kidney’s side look to avoid their fourth successive Test match defeat, D’Arcy is promising the Irish will give as good as they get, telling the Irish Times:

We’re not really looking at them as the world champions. We are looking at them as South Africa. A physical, physical, physical team.

Not as the world champions, but as a massive team that are coming to bully you in your own back yard. There’s a bit of an adjustment in your mentality. You know you are meeting fire with fire.

The only way to face these guys is to stand toe to toe with them. If there is any bullying to be done, we will do it.

Tommy Bowe is also predicting a physical game and is equally bullish about matching South Africa in the on-pitch battles. He told the Irish Independent:

Their game is based on physicality and bullying the opposition and if we don’t match that, then we’ll be sent back with our tails between our legs.

We’re on our own pitch, so we’re going to be the ones who want to bring that intensity and we’re not going to be waiting for South Africa to just run at us. It’s up to us to bring the game to them.

For the Springboks, this game and the tour could be a defining moment for embattled coach Peter De Villiers.

His three-year reign has been mired by the difficulties South Africa still face in coming to terms with the end of apartheid, as reported today in the Irish Independent.

The Boks are set to name their team later today although as RTE report they are hampered by the loss of key players and late withdrawals.