VIDEO: Ireland showdown just got hotter
DUBLIN, IRELAND: The clash between Ireland and South Africa in Dublin on Saturday just got even spicier, with the two sides not set to meet again until November 2026.
Ireland will host South Africa, Argentina, and Fiji in Dublin next November, making this weekend’s clash even more significant.
The Springboks have pieced together a formidable run of form in 2025, clinching the Rugby Championship with authority, and then travelled north and toppled the reigning Six Nations champions, France, in front of a hostile Parisian crowd.
Add to that their emphatic victory over the All Blacks earlier in the year, and it paints the picture of a team operating with ruthless consistency and a championship mindset.
Now, as they head into a heavyweight showdown with Ireland – the only remaining giant they haven’t faced recently- the stakes rise again. Ireland, unbeaten at home in years and one of world rugby’s most tactically disciplined sides, presents a fresh and formidable challenge.
For the Boks, this matchup isn’t just another Test; it’s the next step in proving they remain the global benchmark.
Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said that since he has been involved with the team in 2018, they have never beaten Ireland at home. That goes for head coach Rassie Erasmus as well.
“For us, if you want to be the best in the world, games like this, playing Ireland in Dublin – those are the games you want to be involved in,” he told Rugby365 at the team hotel in Dublin on Monday.
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“We know the last couple of years, they’ve probably been one of the best teams in the world.
“And also because they’ve got some transition happening in their squad and getting some youngsters in.
“They’ve got world-class players in their team, and they can see the culture in the team, how they operate, they are very well organised.
“It will be nice, because it is something we as a group haven’t done.
“And if you look at the future plans, I don’t think we are going to get that opportunity again in the next 12 months.
“So we have to make sure that we grab our opportunities,” the coach stated.
Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth added that there are no easy games between the Tier One nations anymore and that they can’t afford to underestimate any of their opponents.
“These days in the top 12 rankings, you don’t get an easy Test match anymore.
“When you think you get an easy one, you might get a surprise.
“Another tough one, and they’ve quality all over the field, but so do we. We also have quality players across the board.
“So it’s going to be a proper Test match.”
