New Springboks defence coach Jerry Flannery is confident that he can learn Afrikaans within a year as he takes on his new role with South Africa, facing his home nation, Ireland, as his first challenge. Flannery, who previously worked with Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber at Munster, has now taken over as defence coach of the Springboks for the upcoming Rugby World Cup cycle. He follows in the footsteps of fellow Irishman Felix Jones, who was part of the Springboks set-up in previous World Cups.

Flannery has been in touch with Jones to understand the intricacies of being part of the Bok team.

Flannery, when asked about learning the South African national anthem, joked that he would learn Afrikaans first before considering it. He mentioned that Daan Human, Bok scrum coach, suggested learning one sentence in Afrikaans every day. Flannery, who speaks Irish and English, believes adding Afrikaans to his language repertoire will make him a stronger asset. He acknowledged the personal significance of facing Ireland in the mid-year Tests, emphasizing the importance of controlling his emotions during that week.

Flannery sees the upcoming matches against Ireland as a crucial milestone for the team, highlighting the players' determination to succeed.

Reflecting on Ireland's recent success in defending their Six Nations title and being labeled as one of the best teams in the world, Flannery praised Ireland's fitness, skills, and cohesive gameplay. He noted the seamless integration of players from different provinces into the Irish squad, allowing them to perform at a high level immediately.

Flannery highlighted Ireland's strength in adapting to referee decisions at the breakdown, making it challenging for opponents to break them down defensively. He sees opportunities for the Springboks to capitalize on Ireland's style of play and emphasized the importance of making good defensive decisions to regain possession effectively. Flannery is excited about the prospect of the upcoming mini-series between the top two ranked teams, believing it will determine the best side in the world.