Springboks overturn Dublin hoodoo

by | Nov 23, 2025 | African Golf News

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The Springboks ended a 13-year drought in Dublin with a dogged and determined win at a hostile Aviva Stadium to stay unbeaten on their year-end tour.

Going into the Test, Ireland had won nine of the last 14 Tests between the sides, including the last three at home and the 2023 World Cup pool encounter. But the South Africans ran in four tries on Saturday night to leave Dublin 24-13 victors.

The Test was played at a fast and furious pace from the very start, with both teams showing an eagerness to play with ball in hand. Ireland started in their typical energetic fashion, but conceded a breakdown penalty in the fourth minute.

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A strong maul then came from the resultant Springbok lineout and good interplay between backs and forwards led to fullback Damian Willemse diving over in the corner.

It was heart-in-mouth stuff for the Springboks just a few minutes later, when flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was singled out for a shoulder charge. There was, however, enough mitigation for referee Matthew Carley to just award a penalty to Ireland.

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But the hosts then fell foul of the officials as lock James Ryan was given a yellow card for a reckless clean-out on Malcolm Marx at the breakdown, which was then upgraded to a 20-minute red card.

It went from bad to worse for the Irish as the Springbok pack decimated their weakened scrum and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach took full advantage to score the Boks’ second of the night. Feinberg-Mngomezulu added the extras to send South Africa 12 points clear with Ireland flyhalf Sam Prendergast shown yellow for cynical play.

Three minutes from the break and with 13 players on the field, Ireland finally breached the Bok defence, with hooker Dan Sheehan crashing over. Replacement flyhalf Jack Crowley converted to bring the score to 12-7.

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However, the Irish were shown two more yellow cards before half-time. Crowley was sent to the bin for hands in the ruck and he was followed soon after by loosehead prop Andrew Porter for successive scrum penalties.

Referee Carley’s patience eventually ran out, and he awarded a penalty try to the Boks to give them a handsome 19-7 lead at the break – and a numerical advantage of 15 against 12.

Ireland looked the more positive of the two teams after the break, with Prendergast slotting two penalties to keep the hosts in the game. Once they were back to their full compliment of players, the Irish asserted dominance at the breakdown to frustrate the Boks close to the line on several occasions.

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But the moment of the third quarter was yet another supreme individual effort from Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who danced over the tryline for his seventh in the green and gold this year.

But Ireland’s ill-discipline at the scrums once again saw a yellow card being meted out by referee Carley, replacement loosehead Paddy McCarthy this time pinged for continued scrum infringements.

The final quarter was loose and frantic, with Ireland seemingly getting the better of the Boks. South Africa finished the Test with 14 players on the field after replacement scrumhalf Grant Williams was yellow-carded for cynical play.

The Springboks wrap up their year-end tour against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff next Saturday.

Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

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