Although Ireland have plenty of back-row depth, the absence of regular number eight Jamie Heaslip will be keenly felt against South Africa in Dublin on Saturday.
With Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, CJ Stander and Rhys Ruddock in their ranks, Ireland are still expected to field a formidable back-row combination this weekend although it will be strange not to see Heaslip – a 95-Test veteran – at the base of their scrum.
He has been out of action due to a back injury since sitting out of the final Six Nations game against England in March. He later had surgery to deal with a disc issue.
After a second operation, he will be out of action while approaching his 34th birthday next month.
“You lose a huge amount of experience,” Ireland forwards coach Simon Easterby told the42.ie.
“You lose probably one of the most professional sportsmen that many of us would have worked with, certainly as a coach.
“He is incredibly dedicated. He has certain ways of doing things and that is to his massive advantage, in terms of getting himself right, in terms of his body. He knows what he needs to do to prepare himself to play big match for Leinster and for Ireland.
“It is a big void to fill. What you lose in not having Jamie in, you gain from other guys having those experiences, trying to emulate some of the stuff that Jamie can do and has done for a long, long time.
“We’re really hopeful that we’ll gain in experience and we’ll gain some valuable time with those players who are covering that eight position over that period. And then come the New Year we’ll have a fit and fresh Jamie Heaslip back, which would be great for us moving forward into the next couple of seasons for us.
“So I think he leaves a void, but there’s plenty of leadership that will step up in his place, but also it leaves an opportunity for others to step into that role and find their feet in the squad.”
In Heaslip’s absence, Stander may start in the number eight jersey despite Leinster’s use of O’Brien in that role at times this season.
Jack McGrath, Rory Best, Tadhg Furlong and Iain Henderson are also all expected to be fit for the Springboks Test.
“Guys that had those opportunities to travel to New Zealand and work with other players, with other coaches, we’re forever trying to find that little edge, that little 1 or 2% that can make us a better team, a better unit,” added Easterby.
“Certainly from myself and Greg Feek’s perspective, it’s invaluable that they’ve been away and came back and there’s plenty that we can learn from those players who have had those experiences and they’re coming back into a squad.
“All of them are well used to the environment, well used to how we work, and that only serves to (push) the other players who were with us in the USA and Japan to step up to another level.”
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