New-look South Africa not vulnerable - Joe Schmidt

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt insisted that his team will not take South Africa lightly in the upcoming three-match Test series despite the Springboks missing out on a number of key players.

This will be the first international assignment for Allister Coetzee with the South African team after he took over as the head coach replacing Heyneke Meyer following the 2015 World Cup.

Nearly 17 players, including Ruan Pienaar and Handré Pollard were unavailable for selection for South Africa due to injuries or illness and seven players, including Francois Hougaard, Bryan Habana, Juan de Jongh, Seabelo Senatla, Cheslin Kolbe, Warrick Gelant and Siviwe Soyizwapi will be associated with either South Africa 'A' team or Sevens team, thereby missing on the selection.

Springboks will have the services of Willie le Roux, JP Pieterson, Tendai Mtawarira and Duane Vermeulen and Coetzee has also rewarded form players, Lionel Mapoe and Faf de Klerk, a start in the XV.

Meanwhile, Ireland have their own problems to deal with losing Seán O’Brien, Tommy O’Donnell, Josh van der Flier, Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney, Dave Kearney along with Johnny Sexton to injuries while Jared Payne is set to start at full-back along with Paddy Jackson at fly-half for the first Test.

Despite, playing an inexperienced Springboks squad, Schmidt believes South Africa are still a formidable opponent.

"I'd love to think they are, but I don't think they will be," he said.

"Allister Coetzee, he knows a number of the players very well. He's coached a number of them for a long time, he's coached in South Africa for a long time. He coached last time as assistant coach the last time in 2004, that's how long he's been involved at this level.

"It's a different group, but that group has now transitioned through a lot of players that he's actually coached so I think they'll come together pretty quickly, I know the quality of the player that they have.

"I think they've got some super players, I think it's really well-known that they have a number of world-class players and some of them are based here and some of them they've got back from overseas which we thought might not happen but no doubt, they'll be there and be fully present on Saturday."

Sexton has been a vital cog in Ireland's set-up and has been phenomenal for his team at number 10 and is absence due to a shoulder injury will be a big blow to Schmidt's plan.

Ulster fly-half Jackson will have the big responsibility of filling Sexton's boot and Schmidt is backing the 24-year-old to come good.

"He's slotted in really well," Schmidt added. "I think that he's bided his time, he's been in camp a lot when Johnny's been in camp so he's seen Johnny kind of dictating the game, he has been the conductor of the orchestra and we're confident that Paddy can step up and do a similar job," Schmidt said.

"I think he's got big boots to fill, but I think his feet will slot in quite nicely."

The 50-year-old also urged the Ireland team to settle in South Africa quickly and build momentum to upstage the Springboks in the three-match series.

"We're hoping to get something to build on, a platform to build on to try to put some things together that give us a little bit of confidence going forward," he said.

"You're never going to be in a situation where everything works and transitions are seamless. You're always going to have things to work out after that first Test.

"There's a number of new personnel and we're just hoping that we get enough confidence this weekend that we continue to build through the series."

Teams for first Test

South Africa: Willie le Roux, JP Pietersen, Lionel Mapoe, Damian de Allende, Lwazi Mvovo, Patrick Lambie, Faf de Klerk, Duane Vermeulen, Siya Kolisi, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Adriaan Strauss (c), Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Trevor Nyakane, Julian Redelinghuys, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Warren Whiteley, Rudy Paige, Elton Jantjies, Jesse Kriel.

Ireland: Jared Payne, Andrew Trimble, Robbie Henshaw, Luke Marshall, Keith Earls, Paddy Jackson, Conor Murray, Jamie Heaslip, Jordi Murphy, CJ Stander, Devin Toner, Iain Henderson, Mike Ross, Rory Best (c), Jack McGrath.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Furlong, Ultan Dillane, Rhys Ruddock, Kieran Marmion, Ian Madigan, Craig Gilroy.