Ireland winger Calvin Nash has praised South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus prior to the Six Nations champions beginning a two-Test series against the World Cup winners on Saturday.

The 26-year-old, who started all five games during that victorious Six Nations campaign in February and March, made his Munster debut under Erasmus seven years ago, although he says interactions at the time were limited.

Erasmus was Munster’s director of rugby for 18 months, working in Limerick with Jacques Nienaber who is now senior coach at the Irish province’s local rivals Leinster.

The pair left Thomond Park together for roles with South Africa Rugby in 2017, winning a pair of World Cups before Nienaber’s return to Ireland last year.

“[Erasmus] gave me my debut but other than that I didn’t really have much dealings with him,” said Nash.

“I tried to learn as much as I could off Rassie, and Jacques when he was there.

“They’re masterminds and great coaches.”

The first Test of the series takes place in Pretoria on Saturday with the second to be held seven days later in Durban.

With the retirement of Keith Earls after the World Cup, and the injuries sustained by Connacht’s Mack Hansen that have kept him out of the green jersey since that tournament, Nash has quickly moved up Ireland’s depth chart in the back-three positions.

He made his international debut in a World Cup warm-up against Italy last August, but did not make the trip to France once Andy Farrell trimmed his squad for the tournament.

Come his key role in the Six Nations, he says he was still getting to know his new team-mates.

“Six Nations helped me a lot, [I have] a lot more calmness coming into the international stage,” he added.

“Getting to know the lads was probably the main thing for me. Knowing what they’re doing on the pitch, but the off the field relationships are massive and what helps the team be stronger.

“It’s been class to get over here, spend more time with the lads and get to know people more.”

Nash was part of the Munster side that won the 2023 United Rugby Championship [URC] final in Cape Town and the tourists have an increasing familiarity with South Africa since the Stormers, Bulls, Sharks and Lions joined their domestic league in 2021.

Nash, though, said forwards coach Paul O’Connell has reminded the squad that Ireland have only ever won one Test on South African soil, that coming eight years ago in a game that saw the visitor’s back-row CJ Stander shown a red card after just 22 minutes.

“It’s hard enough winning a game in the URC down here. I can only imagine what an international Test is going to be like,” he said.

“The coaches have told us what a massive challenge it is. Paulie was saying that only one Irish team has ever won here internationally, so that’s another massive challenge and something we have to get over ourselves and hopefully come up with a positive result.”