No 60-0 repeat, insists Irish prop

Cape Town - Veteran Ireland prop Mike Ross says there won’t be a repeat of their humiliating third-Test loss to New Zealand when they tackle South Africa in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

Ireland toured New Zealand for a three-Test series in 2012 which they lost 3-0.

After losing the first Test 42-10 in Auckland, the Irish rebounded in the second and were unlucky to lose 22-19 in Christchurch.

They then fell apart in the third Test in Hamilton, losing 60-0.

In the current three-Test series against South Africa, the Irish are level at 1-1 going into the final Test.

But they are at the end of the gruelling season, playing their 17th Test which included the Rugby World Cup.

Ross, a 60-Test capped veteran and a survivor of the 2012 New Zealand tour, says there are no signs of a repeat performance from the demolition in Hamilton.

"The last time I was on a three-Test tour was in New Zealand and that didn't end so well, so there's a lot of motivation to make sure that doesn't happen," the 36-year-old tighthead told the Irish Independent.

"We're just going to empty the tanks; just go as hard as we can. Hopefully there will be a little history there for us. It's a huge carrot for us."

Saturday’s clash at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is scheduled for 17:00.

Teams:

South Africa

15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ruan Combrinck, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira 

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Jaco Kriel, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Morne Steyn, 23 Lwazi Mvovo

Ireland 

15 Tiernan O'Halloran, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Luke Marshall, 12 Stuart Olding, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Jordi Murphy, 6 CJ Stander, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Iain Henderson, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best (captain) 1 Jack McGrath

Substitutes: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Finlay Bealham, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Ultan Dillane, 20 Rhys Ruddock, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Matt Healy