The Springboks camp have accused the Irish of being “arrogant”.

Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt dismissed the significance of potentially provocative comments from the South Africa camp ahead of next month’s tantalising two-match series.

Springboks trio Eben Etzebeth, Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe are among those to have stoked the flames of a growing rivalry between the world’s two top-ranked sides since last year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

Ireland’s trip to Johannesburg is scheduled for this Tuesday. They will play the world champions in Pretoria on July 6 and Du seven days later.