GARRY RINGROSE has insisted Leinster’s losses will drive him to try to reach the heights with Ireland at altitude.
Ringrose returned from a three-month absence with a shoulder injury to play for the province in their URC semi-final against the Bulls.
Leo Cullen’s side were beaten meaning that — along with their Champions Cup final loss to Toulouse — they had a third season in a row without silverware.
As co-captain with James Ryan — who was also sidelined for a significant period of time — it hit Ringrose particularly hard.
But he pointed to plenty of experience of bouncing back from disappointments.
Ireland ace Ringrose said: “It’s really tough, getting so close.
“It’s just that weird dichotomy of doing so well for many different games, so many challenges and hurdles throughout the year and then just to fall one game short and two games short in the URC.
“I don’t know, it just builds up an element of resilience along the way.
“Even with Ireland, in the last two years of the Six Nations, being successful but I’ve been in losing groups probably more than winning groups so it makes you appreciate the good days.
“It’s just always that fight or challenge to keep going, to keep driving on.
“I know it’s such a cliché but it’s so week to week with how you operate anyway because it’s so competitive in Leinster and so competitive here, injuries, selection, that’s before you start looking at the opposition and what they can do.
“It’s just the nature of the beast I guess and the challenge is to stay motivated which I think everyone is and to keep striving to try and win big games.”
And they do not come much bigger than facing the back-to-back world champions in their back yard. Ireland won the last two games between them, a Dublin rout in 2017 and a close-fought World Cup pool match last September.
The Springboks accused their opponents of disrespect after the first match and arrogance after the second, with Eben Etzebeth claiming Ireland said that they would see them in the final.
Ringrose shrugged: “I can’t remember what I said, I wouldn’t have a clue. Usually everyone is pretty respectful after the game.”
Dismissing the talk from the Springboks camp, the centre added:
“You hear bits but the main thing would be the match and the opportunity to play then in Pretoria, kicking things off, is pretty special.
“Being down there two weeks ago we were staying beside the stadium, it’s an iconic stadium.
“I remember watching Super Rugby and Tri-Nations games there and to get the chance to be there for us is pretty cool.
“They’re obviously an unbelievably proud nation, back-to-back world champions so what a challenge and opportunity for us.”
HOSTILE TERRITORY
And he has an idea of what to expect having made his comeback from a small shoulder fracture — suffered in the Six Nations game against Scotland — at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
He said: “It was my first time down in South Africa and first time at altitude so I didn’t know what to expect.
“You feel it in the lungs and the legs maybe a little bit sooner than back home but then it just kind of plateaus as that for the rest of the game so it’s challenging.
“A few guys who have experienced it before felt it was fine. Thankfully we’re out a little bit earlier this time and we can adapt in some way to it.”
And Ringrose believes the presence of former South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber in the Leinster ranks gives them a special insight into what Rassie Erasmus wants his side to do.
He said: “From talking to Jacques.
“It’s funny preparing for them loads and trying to understand what they’re doing and then maybe speaking to their coach and understanding their philosophy a little bit more in what they’re trying to do.
“It’s kind of cool because you compare the kind of thinking, the perception, to the reality of it.
“There’s the defensive system but so many of the players are intelligent within it, make really good decisions, off years of being coached by him, understanding, making mistakes and learning from them.”