Ireland flanker David Wallace believes South Africa will be inspired by the 'battle of the hemispheres' as they launch one final defence of their global supremacy.

The injury-ravaged Springboks will limp to the end of a gruelling year when they face Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday in a contest that will see the Grand Slam and world champions collide.

So far this season Peter de Villiers' side have won their first Tri-Nations title since 2004 and conquered the Lions in an epic Test series.

But their tour of Europe has proved less productive with their solitary victory against Italy being overshadowed by defeats to France, Leicester and Saracens.

They have arrived in Dublin battered and bruised, with an extensive injury list forcing them to delay their team announcement until later today.

“I don't believe for a second that South Africa won't be at their best because it's the end of a long season,” he said. “They'll be very aware of what's at stake in the game and that it's being billed as the best of the northern hemisphere against the best of the southern hemisphere.

“They'll be turning up to win and because of what's at stake they'll give everything. They'll raise their game for this.

The strong Irish presence on the Lions tour this summer has shrouded Saturday's showdown with a sense of unfinished business.

Springbok skipper John Smit has amplified the tension by claiming there was animosity during the series borne out of a senior Irish player's refusal to allow the Lions to join their opponents in the dressing room for a drink after each match.

Such a suggested lack of sportsmanship paled into insignificance compared to the outrageous eye gouge by Burger on winger Luke Fitzgerald, whose knee injury has scuppered their reunion on Saturday.

Ireland have been careful to avoid fanning the flames but Wallace, who appeared in all three Lions Tests, hinted at the hurt caused by the agonising 2-1 series defeat.

“I never detected any animosity. I wasn't aware of the invitation to join the Springboks, so I'm not the senior Irish player he is talking about!” Wallace said. “It was great to be picked for the Lions but at the end of the day we lost the series and we want to step it up a gear.”