Les Kiss: Planning upset victory on Saturday

The Irish have won three of their last four matches against the Springboks, but enter the Guinness Series opener as heavy underdogs due to a crippling injury list.

But assistant coach Kiss is convinced they will humble the world's third best team - if they have sufficient self belief.

"We haven't lamented in what we don't have, we just have total faith in what we do have," he said.

"If we put it out there on the park in the right way, there's every chance we can win this game. We feel very confident.

"They're a tough team to stop but when you go through our side, some players have stopped some of the biggest guys in Europe.

"We just have to make sure that as we go to bed tonight, we have it set in our hearts and minds that we're up for it and will take it to them.

"You have to turn up with the mindset that you'll go at these guys, get in the trenches with them and work them over.

"If we do that then we have some wonderful talent that we can release around the edges.

"But we have to front up and if we do, it's quite exciting. We'll be in a very good place.

"We know what they've got and we have to go at them with our game."

Ireland have lost their last four Tests in a run dating back to England in March with their last major victory against Australia in September 2011.

Gordon D'Arcy accepts it is time they deliver, but cautions at becoming too obsessed with the result.

"It's a must win game. There's enough experience in this team of players who have had their backs against the wall," D'Arcy said.

"If you start looking at the result, you take your eye off the ball in terms of performance.

"That starts with individual things. If you're so wound up about the result, it won't come.

"While I definitely like to say we'll end the run, we can only do what we can and that's produce a performance.

"If we perform as best as we can, hopefully we'll get the right result."

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