Peter de Villiers and his Springbok selectors have picked an intimidating looking matchday 22 for the game against Ireland at Croke Park tomorrow.

The selection of John Smit at hooker and BJ Botha at prop gives them a solidity up front that has been missing for some time.  Against an Ireland front row that aren’t known as the most commanding scrummaging outfit the Springboks should have plenty of firepower to get themselves onto the front foot.

With wet and windy conditions expected at Croke Park it’s also no surprise to see Danie Rossouw selected at the back of the scrum in place of Ryan Kankowski.  Rossouw has his detractors, but time and time again proves that he is a formidable force at number eight in the Northern Hemisphere.   Saturday’s Test is going to be war and Rossouw is some of the Boks’ heaviest artillery.  His partnership with Burger and Brussow is also a fascinating one with both of the ‘fetchers’ keen to make an impact with ball in hand.  It’s a loose trio that will be giving rookie flyhalf Jonny Sexton and the Irish backrow sleepless nights.

With Adrian Jacobs out injured there’s a well deserved chance for Wynand Olivier to start at inside centre.  Olivier should have no problems slotting in outside provincial teammate Morne Steyn and will have every chance to make a big impact with the in-form Jaque Fourie on his outside.

Then there’s the back three - JP Pietersen and Zane Kirchner in particular - need a huge game tomorrow to help the Springbok cause.  I’m a huge fan of Pietersen, but he’s been largely anonymous on this tour and needs to put some average performances in the past with a big game up against Keith Earls.  Habana up against Tommy Bowe should also be a treat to watch.

Much has been made of the amount of kicking in the game at the moment and this means Kirchner will need to be on top of his game too.  He’s shown flashes of the form that got him into the side in the Green and Gold, but still has plenty to do to convince everyone that he’s the man for the job.   At least in the absence of Frans Steyn!

Finally the bench is also an interesting one - and one that I feel gives the Boks some great options.  Running through the list of names on the bench - du Plessis, van der Linde, Bekker, Deysel, Potgieter, Pienaar and de Villiers - you are struck both by the class on offer as well as the many options available as the game goes on.

If the Boks come out and dish up the sort of disinterested dross that they did against France they’ll get beaten, but I don’t believe that will be the case with the side selected, the hype around the game and the will of this side to end the season on high. 

I hope I’m right.