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Ireland come back to beat Springbok Women 38-17

Published

Ireland scored three tries in the last quarter of the WXV Global Series test at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday. South Africa led 17-14 with 20 minutes to play. It was Ireland's second win over the Springbok Women in the series.

Ireland also beat South Africa 40-27 the previous weekend in the WXV Global Series. Solontsi, the Springbok Women captain, scored one of the three South African tries. She took over the captaincy after an injury to Babalwa Latsha.

Co-head coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt praised Ireland's finish. He said: "They really showed their class in the last 10 minutes, and their ability to score when they were in our 22-metre area was top drawer".

Co-head coach Franzel September called the defeat disappointing but said it gave the team a reality check against the No 5 team in the world. Both coaches said the team did not end the season as it wanted. They named growth, building depth and crucial wins as big positives.

Key facts

Who
Laurian Johannes-Haupt (Springbok Women co-head coach); Franzel September (Springbok Women co-head coach); Solontsi (Springbok Women captain (took over captaincy after injury to Babalwa Latsha)…); Babalwa Latsha (Springbok Women player injured, previously captain)
What
Ireland scored three tries in the last quarter to beat South Africa 38-17, after South Africa had led 17-14 with 20 minutes to play. The Springbok Women's co-head coaches said the defeat was disappointing, while noting growth during the season.
When
31 October 2026
Where
Cape Town, Athlone Stadium
Status
Final result

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